Hours of Service of Drivers

Cathy F. Gautreaux
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
20 September 2018

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 183 (Thursday, September 20, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 47591-47592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-20430]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

49 CFR Part 395

[Docket No. FMCSA-2018-0248]
RIN 2126-AC19


Hours of Service of Drivers

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM); Extension of 
comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) 
extends the comment period for its August 23, 2018, ANPRM concerning 
hours of service for drivers of property-carrying commercial motor 
vehicles (CMVs). FMCSA received requests for an extension to the 
comment period from a number of organizations, including the American 
Trucking Association, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, the 
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the National Pork Producers 
Council, and the National Tank Truck Carriers, Inc. The Agency believes 
it is appropriate to extend the comment period to provide interested 
parties additional time to submit their responses to the ANPRM. 
Therefore, the Agency extends the deadline for the submission of 
comments from September 24, 2018, to October 10, 2018.

DATES: The comment period for the ANPRM published August 23, 2018 at 83 
FR 42631 is extended. Comments on the ANPRM must be received on or 
before October 10, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Docket Number FMCSA-
2018-0248 using any one of the following methods:
    Federal Rulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
    Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    Fax: 202-493-2251.
    Hand Delivery or Courier: Docket Management Facility, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building 
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001, between 9 a.m. 
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Submissions Containing Confidential Business Information (CBI): Mr. 
Brian Dahlin, Chief, Regulatory Evaluation Division, 1200 New Jersey 
Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20590.
    To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods. 
See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' heading under 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for instructions regarding 
submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Tom Yager, Chief, Driver and 
Carrier Operations Division, Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590, at (202) 366-4325, or via email: 
mcpsd@dot.gov.
    If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the 
docket, contact Docket Services, telephone (202) 366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Public Participation and Request for Comments

    FMCSA encourages you to participate by submitting comments and 
related materials.

Submitting Comments

    If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
notice (FMCSA-2018-0284), indicate the specific section of this 
document to which each comment applies, and provide a reason for each 
suggestion or recommendation. 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 http://www.regulations.gov and 
enter either docket number, ``FMCSA-2018-0284'' in the ``Keyword'' box, 
and click ``Search.'' When the new screen appears, click on ``Comment 
Now!'' button and type your comment into the text box in the following 
screen. Choose whether you are submitting your comment as an individual 
or on behalf of a third party and then submit. 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. If you submit comments by mail and would like to know that they 
reached the facility, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard 
or envelope.
    FMCSA will consider all comments and material received during the 
comment period and may change this proposed rule based on your 
comments. Late comments will be considered to the extent practicable.

Confidential Business Information

    Confidential Business Information (CBI) is commercial or financial 
information that is customarily not made available to the general 
public by the submitted. Under the Freedom of Information Act, CBI is 
eligible for protection from public disclosure. If you have CVI that is 
relevant or responsive to this notice, it is important that you clearly 
designate the submitted comments as CBI. Accordingly, please mark each 
page of your submission as ``confidential'' or ``CBI.'' Submissions 
designated as CBI and meeting the definition noted above will not be 
placed in the public docket. Submissions containing CBI should be sent 
to Brian Dahlin, Chief, Regulatory Evaluation Division, 1200 New Jersey 
Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20590. Any commentary that FMCSA receives which 
is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public 
docket for this rulemaking.

Viewing Comments and Documents

    To view comments, as well as documents available in the docket, go 
to http://www.regulations.gov and insert the docket number, ``FMCSA-
2018-0248'' in the ``Keyword'' box and click ``Search.'' Next, click 
``Open Docket Folder'' button and choose the document listed to review. 
If you do not have access to the internet, you may view the docket 
online by visiting the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 on 
the ground floor of the DOT West Building, 1200 New Jersey

[[Page 47592]]

Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., ET, Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Privacy Act

    Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the public to 
better inform its potential rulemaking process. DOT posts these 
comments, without edit, including any personal information the 
commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system 
of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at 
www.dot.gov/privacy.

Background

    The August 23, 2018 ANPRM (83 FR 42631) asked for public comment on 
four subject areas: Short haul operations, adverse conditions, the 30-
minute break, and the split-sleeper berth provision. The ANPRM also 
sought public comment on two petitions for rulemaking from the Owner-
Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) and TruckerNation.
    FMCSA held a public listening session on August 24, 2018, at the 
Great American Truck Show, in Dallas, Texas (83 FR 42630).

Extension of the Public Comment Period

    The comment period for the ANPRM was set to expire on September 24, 
2018 (83 FR 42631). FMCSA received several requests to extend the 
comment period, as noted above. Copies of the requests are included in 
the docket referenced at the beginning of this notice.
    The organizations requested various lengths of time for the 
extension ranging from 30 to 60 days, stating that the additional time 
was needed to enable them to prepare more comprehensive responses based 
on research and information that has only recently been released or is 
expected to be released at upcoming industry meetings.
    FMCSA has determined that extending the comment period would 
provide the organizations additional time to prepare more detailed 
comments that are reflective of the concerns of their members. 
Accordingly, FMCSA extends the comment period for all comments on the 
ANPRM to October 10, 2018.

    Issued under the authority of delegations in 49 CFR 1.87: 
September 14, 2018.
Cathy F. Gautreaux,
Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2018-20430 Filed 9-19-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P