[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 124 (Tuesday, July 1, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28851-28853]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-12202]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
[Docket No. FMCSA-2025-0101]
Commercial Driver's License: Massachusetts Department of State
Police; Application for Exemption
AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Department
of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of application for exemption; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: FMCSA requests public comment on the Massachusetts Department
of State Police's request for an exemption to conduct modified
commercial driver's license (CDL) skills test exams on the island of
Martha's Vineyard. According to the applicant, the island of Martha's
Vineyard does not have the infrastructure for applicant drivers to
demonstrate the two sets of lane changes required by the CDL skills
test.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 31, 2025.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Docket Number FMCSA-
2025-0101 by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. See the
Public Participation and Request for Comments section below for further
information.
Mail: Dockets Operations, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200
[[Page 28852]]
New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Ground Floor, Washington, DC
20590-0001.
Hand Delivery or Courier: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West
Building, Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590-0001, between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Fax: (202) 493-2251.
Each submission must include the Agency name and the docket number
(FMCSA-2025-0101) for this notice. Note that DOT posts all comments
received without change to www.regulations.gov, including any personal
information included in a comment. Please see the Privacy Act heading
below.
Privacy Act: In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31315(b), DOT solicits
comments from the public to better inform its exemption process. DOT
posts these comments, including any personal information the commenter
provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of records
notice DOT/ALL-14 FDMS (Federal Docket Management System (FDMS)), which
can be reviewed at https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/privacy/privacy-act-system-records-notices. The comments are posted without
edit and are searchable by the name of the submitter.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Richard Clemente, Driver and
Carrier Operations Division; Office of Carrier, Driver and Vehicle
Safety Standards, FMCSA; (202) 366-9220; or [email protected].
If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket,
contact Dockets Operations at (202) 366-9826.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Public Participation and Request for Comments
FMCSA encourages you to participate by submitting comments and
related materials.
A. Submitting Comments
If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this
notice (FMCSA-2025-0101), indicate the specific section of this
document to which the comment applies, and provide a reason for your
suggestions or recommendations. You may submit your comments and
material online or by fax, mail, or hand delivery, but please use only
one of these means. FMCSA recommends that you include your name and a
mailing address, an email address, or a phone number in the body of
your document so the Agency can contact you if it has questions
regarding your submission.
To submit your comment online, go to https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FMCSA-2025-0101/document, click on this notice, click
``Comment,'' and type your comment into the text box on the following
screen.
If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them
in an unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for
copying and electronic filing.
FMCSA will consider all comments and material received during the
comment period. Comments received after the comment closing date will
be filed in the public docket and will be considered to the extent
practicable.
B. Confidential Business Information (CBI)
CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of
Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public disclosure.
If your comments responsive to the notice contain commercial or
financial information that is customarily treated as private, that you
actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to the
notice, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission that
constitutes CBI as ``PROPIN'' to indicate it contains proprietary
information. FMCSA will treat such marked submissions as confidential
under the Freedom of Information Act, and they will not be placed in
the public docket of the notice. Submissions containing CBI should be
sent to Brian Dahlin, Chief, Regulatory Evaluation Division, Office of
Policy, FMCSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001 or
via email at [email protected]. At this time, you need not send a
duplicate hardcopy of your electronic CBI submissions to FMCSA
headquarters. Any comments FMCSA receives not specifically designated
as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this notice.
C. Viewing Comments and Documents
To view comments, as well as any documents mentioned in this
preamble as being available in the docket, go to https://www.regulations.gov insert FMCSA-2025-0101 in the keyword box, select
the document tab and choose the document to review. To view comments,
click this notice, then click ``Browse Comments.'' If you do not have
access to the internet, you may view the docket by visiting Docket
Operations on the ground floor of the DOT West Building, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
ET Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. To be sure someone
is there to help you, please call (202) 366-9317 or (202) 366-9826
before visiting Dockets Operations.
II. Legal Basis
FMCSA has authority under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315(b) to grant
exemptions from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. FMCSA
must publish a notice of each exemption request in the Federal Register
(49 CFR 381.315(a)). The Agency must provide the public an opportunity
to inspect the information relevant to the application, including the
applicant's safety analysis. The Agency must provide an opportunity for
public comment on the request.
The Agency reviews the application, safety analyses, and public
comments submitted and determines whether granting the exemption would
likely achieve a level of safety equivalent to, or greater than, the
level that would be achieved absent such exemption, pursuant to the
standard set forth in 49 U.S.C. 31315(b)(1). The Agency must publish
its decision in the Federal Register (49 CFR 381.315(b)). If granted,
the notice will identify the regulatory provision from which the
applicant will be exempt, the effective period, and all terms and
conditions of the exemption (49 CFR 381.315(c)(1)). If the exemption is
denied, the notice will explain the reason for the denial (49 CFR
381.315(c)(2)). The exemption may be renewed (49 CFR 381.300(b)).
III. Applicant's Request
Current Regulatory Requirements
Under 49 CFR 383.113(c)(2) and (4), concerning requirements for
driving maneuvers that must be included in the CDL skills test,
applicants must demonstrate the ability to signal appropriately when
changing direction in traffic and to choose a safe gap for changing
lanes, passing other vehicles, and crossing or entering traffic.
Applicant's Request
The Massachusetts Department of State Police administers CDL road
tests in the State of Massachusetts. To service Registry of Motor
Vehicles customers on the island of Martha's Vineyard, the
Massachusetts Department of State Police requests authorization to
conduct CDL road test exams on the island, using a test route that does
not include the two sets of lane changes. According to the applicant,
travel to and from the island with commercial motor vehicles is often
difficult and expensive. The applicant states that the region does not
[[Page 28853]]
have the infrastructure to support two sets of lane changes required by
the CDL Examiner's Manual and that there are no reasonable
substitutions for lane change maneuvers on the island. The exemption
application includes the proposed route plan for the modified CDL exams
and a satellite image of the area, as well as a support letter from the
Massachusetts Department of Transportation's Registry of Motor
Vehicles.
A copy of the Massachusetts Department of State Police's
application for exemption is available for review in the docket for
this notice.
IV. Request for Comments
In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31315(b), FMCSA requests public
comment from all interested persons on the Massachusetts Department of
State Police's application for an exemption. All comments received
before the close of business on the comment closing date will be
considered and will be available for examination in the docket at the
location listed under the Addresses section of this notice. Comments
received after the comment closing date will be filed in the public
docket and will be considered to the extent practicable. In addition to
late comments, FMCSA will also continue to file, in the public docket,
relevant information that becomes available after the comment closing
date. Interested persons should continue to examine the public docket
for new material.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator of Policy.
[FR Doc. 2025-12202 Filed 6-30-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P