Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision

Larry W. Minor
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
27 April 2018

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 82 (Friday, April 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18634-18635]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08911]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2018-0009]


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 decision to deny applications from 103 
individuals who requested an exemption from the vision standard in the 
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to operate a CMV in 
interstate commerce.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Christine A. Hydock, Chief, 
Medical Programs Division, (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., 
e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Electronic Access

    You may see all the comments online through the Federal Document 
Management System (FDMS) at: http://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments, go to http://www.regulations.gov and/or Room W12-140 on the 
ground level of the West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.
    Privacy Act: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits 
comments from the public to better inform its rulemaking process. DOT 
posts these comments, without edit, including any personal information 
the commenter provides, to http://www.regulations.gov, as described in 
the system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed 
at http://www.dot.gov/privacy.

[[Page 18635]]

II. Background

    FMCSA received applications from 103 individuals who requested an 
exemption from the vision standard in the FMCSRs.
    FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility of these applicants and 
concluded that granting these exemptions would not provide a level of 
safety that would be equivalent to or greater than, the level of safety 
that would be obtained by complying with the regulation 49 CFR 
391.41(b)(10).

III. Basis for Exemption Determination

    Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, FMCSA may grant an exemption if 
it finds such an exemption would likely achieve a level of safety that 
is equivalent to, or greater then, the level that would be achieved 
absent such an exemption.
    The Agency's decision regarding these exemption applications is 
based on the eligibility criteria, the terms and conditions for Federal 
exemptions, and an individualized assessment of each applicant's 
medical information provided by the applicant.

IV. Conclusion

    The Agency has determined that these applicants do not satisfy the 
criteria eligibility or meet the terms and conditions of the Federal 
exemption and granting these exemptions would not provide a level of 
safety that would be equivalent to or greater than, the level of safety 
that would be obtained by complying with the regulation 49 CFR 
391.41(b)(10). Therefore, the 103 applicants in this notice have been 
denied exemptions from the physical qualification standards in 49 CFR 
391.41(b)(10).
    Each applicant has, prior to this notice, received a letter of 
final disposition regarding his/her exemption request. Those decision 
letters fully outlined the basis for the denial and constitute final 
action by the Agency. 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 two applicants did not have sufficient driving 
experience over the past three years under normal highway operating 
conditions: Christopher E. Day (OR); Andrew R. Sampson (MD).
    The following 41 had no experience operating a CMV:

Aktham G. Abdelraouf (UT)
Javier A. Alcantara (FL)
Robbie R. Austin (ID)
John J. Beich (FL)
Michael J. Berry (PA)
Joseph B. Chun Tei (CA)
Kevin D. Craft (LA)
Dane C. Czerniak (PA)
Michael Deckert (PA)
Joseph F. Desgrottes (FL)
Brian S. Duncan (MO)
Joseph Eppolito (NY)
William E. Fowler (VA)
Levin D. Gann-Olehy (MN)
Abdirisak A. Hassan (MN)
George A. Kellner (FL)
Brian D. Leeper (IN)
Kelvin K. Mcatee (IL)
Adrian Mendoza (CA)
John R. Menendez (MO)
Andre J. Murdock (MD)
Donald J. Nelson (ID)
Thomas M. Palmer (PA)
Joseph L. Rigsby (AL)
Andrew W. Rocole (NE)
Homero Saenz (KY)
Reginald I. Sessum (NY)
Antwine Simmons (GA)
Saban R. Sosic (MI)
Miguel A. Soto (CA)
James V. Stuart (MA)
Travis D. Summerville (IL)
Donavon X. Taylor (MS)
Paul R. Todi (KY)
Carlos M. Torres Nieves (TX)
Ryan Tortorelli (CO)
Isai Trejo (CO)
Matthew C. Walker (IN)
Felicia R. Warnick (IL)
David A. Whittam (WA)
Wade R. Winckler (SD)

    The following 13 applicants did not have 3 years of experience 
driving a CMV on public highways with their vision deficiencies:

Steven J. Brown (NY)
Joseph S. Clymer (OH)
Scott R. Dawley (IA)
Gary A. Foley (NH)
Antonio E. Gargano (PA)
Clyde M. Kennedy (VA)
Elmer D. King (PA)
Curtis M. Kirkland (GA)
Paul L. Koch (WI)
Lee A. Leasure (CA)
Gregory J. Mastey (WI)
Donald R. Pierson (WA)
Jeffrey Shauver (IN)

    The following 11 applicants did not have 3 years of recent 
experience driving a CMV with the vision deficiency:

Arthur T. Brown (FL)
Henry M. Darden (DC)
Theodore A. DuBreuil (MI)
Thomas S. Ewald (IA)
Barry J. Friedlander (NY)
Gregory P. Grimes (OK)
Louis W. Henderson (DE)
Michael A. Higgins (IL)
Rex R. Pannell (AR)
Ricky A. Schott (PA)
Jamie S. White (GA)

    The following eight applicants did not have sufficient driving 
experience during the past 3 years under normal highway operating 
conditions (gaps in driving record):

Brannon S. Alexander (MO)
Russell E. Burden (WY)
Jeffrey P. Campbell (KY)
Daniel D. Diggs (TX)
Ahmed M. Gutale (MN)
Zachary W.L. Justice (OH)
Joanna Marlow (NM)
Lawrence B. Reyes (WA)

    The following applicant, William D. Harris (IN), contributed to 
accident(s) in which the applicant was operating a CMV, which is a 
disqualifying offense.
    The following applicant, Marty J. Prouty (IA), did not demonstrate 
the level of safety required for interstate driving based on the state-
issued driving report (excessive moving/non-moving violations during 3-
year period).
    The following applicant, Johnny Frasier (FL), did not have an 
optometrist or ophthalmologist willing to make a statement that they 
are able to operate a commercial vehicle from a vision standpoint.
    The following 18 applicants were denied for multiple reasons:

Fnu Aryan (TX)
Dennis K. Bench (MT)
David A. Bronson (FL)
Elliott D. Hain (PA)
Dennis L. Johnson (NC)
Paul E. Kemp (MS)
Jeffrey T. Landry (NC)
Joshua S. Little (MD)
Progress A. Lloyd (NC)
Lydia McCormick (NY)
Mark A. Myers (IN)
Deborah A. Nichols (MI)
Ronald Sapp (GA)
Craig Scott (GA)
Jeffery L. Shick (IL)
Joy S. Smith (TX)
Patrick J. Stempel (NY)
Scott W. Ward (PA)

    The following three applicants have not had stable vision for the 
preceding 3-year period: Daniel R. Parramore (FL); Cheryl A. Phelps 
(OH); Guadalupe Potter (WA).
    The following four applicants drove interstate while restricted to 
intrastate driving:

Michael D. Cameron (TN)
Thomas R. Row (PA)
Joel Vasquez (TX)
Tony L. Willschau (SD)

    Issued on: April 23, 2018.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2018-08911 Filed 4-26-18; 8:45 am]
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