Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision

Larry W. Minor
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
27 November 2017

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 226 (Monday, November 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56103-56104]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-25522]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2017-0025]


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 109 
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., 
ET, 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., ET, 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 56104]]

II. Background

    FMCSA received applications from 109 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 
for two years 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 109 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 33 applicants had no experience operating a CMV:

Leaslie T. Allen (SC)
Harryson F.R. Barragan (CA)
Ken A. Barrow (LA)
Corey A. Becker (NE)
Kathryn W. Brunt-Avunduk (NJ)
Speedi G. Burrell (RI)
Indigo J. Curtis (GA)
Larry D. Darden (NC)
Collin J. D'Brant (NY)
Abdulrahman M. Edle (MN)
Teorie K. Evans (IN)
Justin S. Gantt (NC)
Brad K. Humphrey (OH)
Matthew W. Jordan (TN)
Matthew J. LaFeldt (MI)
Alex W. Leath (VA)
Jerry P. Ledet, Jr. (LA)
Richard K. Lowman (PA)
Erik D. Manz (OK)
Carlos R. McCarthy (NH)
Mark L. Meriweather (KY)
Mark W. Modzelewski (NJ)
Jerry Nicolas (NJ)
Jose A. Ortega (FL)
Michael T. Quiggins (IN)
Gary M. Shoultz (IN)
Kerry S. Staker (WY)
Sherwood W. Swick (ID)
Brian Thompson (KY)
Robby L. Tovrea (IA)
Jimmy Travis (NJ)
James E. Turturici (AL)
Rodney J. Watkins (NC)

    The following 18 applicants did not have three years of experience 
driving a CMV on public highways with their vision deficiencies:

Samuel J. Bagwell (MO)
Denis Cuzimencov (NC)
Howard R. Funderburk (WA)
Lonnie J. Gaines (MD)
DeMario D. Gordon (TX)
Stephen L. Hickinson (NJ)
James S. Hosmer (AL)
John K. Johnson (TX)
Shane E. Johnson (KY)
John E. Lewis (IN)
Robert E. McMahon (NV)
Rodolfo D. Meza (MD)
Georgio D. Rapposelli (PA)
Darrel J. Roy (WA)
Michael D. Saltsman (KY)
Curtis L. Shivers (IL)
Adam L. Temple (GA)
Stephen Wilson (PA)

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

Joseph R. Burroughs (AL)
Allen E. Jennings (ID)
Michael S. Lomax (LA)
Brian K. Manca (MA)
Charles Reid (NJ)
Ernest M. Smith, Jr. (LA)
Thomas VanPool (OK)
Danny R. Wood (NC)

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

Robie F. Abbott (WV)
David J. Carter (OR)
John M. Ford (NY)
Joseph B. Fullen (TX)
Abdulsalam M. Halool (MI)
Frank M. Howell (PA)
Dwayne S. Tiffany (UT)

    The following six applicants were denied for multiple reasons:

Russell D. Kraemer (MO)
Julie D. Larson (WY)
Larry D. Neely (IL)
Richard Nielsen (IL)
Philip P. Phegley (IN)
Kenneth E. Warbington (GA)

    The following two applicants have not had stable vision for the 
preceding three year period:

Donald L. Shay (MO)
Norris V. Watson (AL)

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

Earl T. Baker (KY)
Ryan S. Stauffer (MT)
Robert Williams (NC)

    The following 27 applicants will not be driving interstate, 
intrastate commerce, or are not required to carry a DOT medical card:

Percy L. Anderson (IL)
Michael Beaudoin (TX)
Victor M. Benedith (NY)
Mingle Blake (FL)
Ernesto Castillo (CA)
Randolph L. Davidson (CA)
William A. Dickinson (WA)
Charles M. Dixon, Jr. (OH)
David A. Faudoa (AZ)
Kenneth A. Floyd (FL)
Maxie L. Gentry (VA)
Bryan K. Hall (NY)
James C. Hall (WA)
Jamahon L. Henderson (OH)
Antonio Ibarrah-Ramirez (OK)
Lon J. Knoshal (MN)
Brent D. Landry (LA)
Donald B. Marsh (MD)
Chris G. Mosley (SC)
Jonathan P. Mott (WI)
Javier T. Ramirez (TX)
Edward H. Riglioni, Jr. (FL)
Francisco L. Rodriguez (CA)
Jason S. Spurlock, Sr. (LA)
Roger L. Sutton (LA)
Efrain S. Villalobos (CA)
Anthony W. Zwolinski (MI)

    The following five applicants perform transportation for the 
Federal government, state, or any political sub-division of the state:

Nathan N. Botsch (AZ)
Derrick A. Hardy (DC)
Lindsey Manzi (PA)
Jeffery Radermacher (ND)
John R.A. Taylor (VA)


     Issued on: November 17, 2017.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2017-25522 Filed 11-24-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P