Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision

Larry W. Minor
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
July 15, 2015

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 135 (Wednesday, July 15, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41558-41559]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-17329]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2015-0054]


Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of denials.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its denial of 120 applications from 
individuals who requested an exemption from the Federal vision standard 
applicable to interstate truck and bus drivers and the reasons for the 
denials. FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals from the 
vision requirement if the exemptions granted will not compromise 
safety. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemptions does 
not provide a level of safety that will be equivalent to, or greater 
than, the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these 
commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles A. Horan, III, Director, 
Carrier, Driver and Vehicle Safety Standards, (202) 366-4001, 
fmcsamedical@dot.gov, FMCSA, Department of Transportation, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Room W64-224, Washington, DC 20590-0001. Office 
hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, FMCSA may grant an exemption 
from the Federal vision standard for a renewable 2-year period if it 
finds ``such an exemption would likely achieve a level of safety that 
is equivalent to or greater than the level that would be achieved 
absent such an exemption.'' The procedures for requesting an exemption 
are set forth in 49 CFR part 381.
    Accordingly, FMCSA evaluated 120 individual exemption requests on 
their merit and made a determination that these applicants do not 
satisfy the criteria eligibility or meet the terms and conditions of 
the Federal exemption program. Each applicant has, prior to this 
notice, received a letter of final disposition on the exemption 
request. Those decision letters fully outlined the basis for the denial 
and constitute final Agency action. The list published in this notice 
summarizes the Agency's recent denials as required under 49 U.S.C. 
31315(b)(4) by periodically publishing names and reasons for denial.
    The following applicant, Gregory J. Karkos, did not have sufficient 
driving experience over the past three years under normal highway 
operating conditions.
    The following 21 applicants had no experience operating a CMV:

Paul M. A. Bobick
Ethan W. Boze
Russell B. Cochran
Harold L. Coleman
Logan B. Dix
Terry L. Dockall
Charles M. Edmonds
Pedro T. Espinal
Ronald A. Francis
William R. Hand
Kristopher M. Heitmeier
Alan L. Kershisnik
Nuru D. Mehammed
Kevin R. Murphy
Eduardo Ortiz
Christopher E. Robles
Jonathan R. Rogers
Joseph D. Sirlin
Maxwell W. Tanner
Charles Wheeler
Haitham N. Zegar

    The following 15 applicants did not have three years of experience 
driving a CMV on public highways with their vision deficiencies:

Clairmont Boston
John R. Boudreaux
James A. Bullock, Jr.
James L. Crain
James W. Faber
Joseph F. Giacometto
Elmer G. Godwin, Jr.
Randall L. Hall
Alexander D. Harry
Clyde M. Lange III
Aveland E. Munroe
Jorge M. Rios
Canute O. Robinson
James R. Sadlow
Thomas A. Schwarz

    The following nine applicants did not have three years of recent 
experience driving a CMV with the vision deficiency:

Kyle J. Bailey
Charles W. Bradley
Jeremy W. Culberson
Albert Goodman, Jr.
Jimmy R. Holman
Ronald L. Irwin
Wayne S. Peisert
Donald L. Pons
Dawn K. Waybill

    The following two applicants did not have sufficient driving 
experience during the past three years under normal highway operating 
conditions:

Michael Garnys
Edward P. Schrader II

    The following applicant, Marsden A. Cummings, was unable to obtain 
a statement from an optometrist or ophthalmologist stating that he was 
able to operate a commercial vehicle from a vision standpoint.
    The following 19 applicants were denied for multiple reasons:

Shawn B. Blanton
Lorena G. Booker
Gaylon W. Bumpus
Teddy E. Cole
David R. Ford
Joseph R. Fritz
Alan G. Hicks
Tony B. Johnson
Raymond W. Lytle, Sr.
William E. Montanari, Sr.
Donald H. Nelson
Delbert L. Priddle
James D. Simental
Dennis L. Smith
Patrick L. Stansell
Dustin L. Stone
Barron A. Story
Samuel M. Washington
Gary E. Williams

    The following two applicants did not have stable vision for the 
entire three-year period:

Jeffrey L. Jones
Carl A. Shaner

    The following 21 applicants met the current federal vision 
standards. Exemptions are not required for applicants who meet the 
current regulations for vision:

David D. Bond
Nicholas J. Carbone
Harold C. Darden
Douglas J. Davis
Whitney R. Everhart
 Craig T. Gerroll
 Darren E. Giles

[[Page 41559]]

 Sukmindier S. Grewal
 Derek Griffin
 Bobby L. Hunter
 Dennis Johnson
 Dennis D. Kahle
 Enoc D. Lopez
 Michael D. Minchew
 Armont S. Nash
 Osvaldo Negron
 Charles E. Rhodes
 Michael C. Schaffer Jr.
 Brian D. Sharp
 Yancy D. Stone
 Charles R. Wulf

    The following 24 applicants were denied because they will not be 
driving interstate, interstate commerce, or are not required to carry a 
DOT medical card:

Scott W. Andreason
 Michael J. Benedict
 Ronald R. Campbell
 Richard A. Cornejo
 Willie J. Evans Jr.
 Domenic L. Germano
 Robert L. Hodge
 John L. Johnson
 Sr.
 Raymond Long
 Evaristo Z. Martinez
 James C. Mcnee
 Jere L. Messersmith
 Michael D. Meyer
 Jeffrey R. Miller
 Anna M. Miller
 George S. Moore
 Steven J. Mulligan
 Robert Noonan
 Myron E. Olson
 Jerry W. Rufsvold
 Elmer F. Silcott
 Thomas E. Smith
 Anthony E. Smith
 Manuel Ulloa-Mendez

    Finally, the following five applicants perform transportation for 
the federal government, state, or any political sub-division of the 
state.

Michael W. Henderson
 Nicholas J. Marchesani
 Christopher M. Pannelli
 Anthony J. Santi
 Todd W. Woronik

    Issued on: July 7, 2015.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2015-17329 Filed 7-14-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P