Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision |
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Larry W. Minor
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
31 October 2019
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 211 (Thursday, October 31, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58441-58444]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-23761]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
[Docket No. FMCSA-2019-0017]
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision
AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of applications for exemption; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 11 individuals
for an exemption from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to operate a commercial motor
vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions will
enable these individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce without
meeting the vision requirement in one eye.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 2, 2019.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by the Federal Docket
Management System (FDMS) Docket No. FMCSA-2019-0017 using any of the
following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=FMCSA-2019-0017. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments.
Mail: Docket Operations; U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building Ground Floor,
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Hand Delivery: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.
Fax: (202) 493-2251.
To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods.
See the ``Public Participation'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION section for instructions on submitting comments.
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 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., ET,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. If you have questions
regarding viewing or submitting material to the docket, contact Docket
Operations, (202) 366-9826.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
[[Page 58442]]
I. Public Participation
A. Submitting Comments
If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this
notice (Docket No. FMCSA-2019-0017), 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 that FMCSA can contact you if there are questions
regarding your submission.
To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=FMCSA-2019-0017. Click on the ``Comment Now!'' button and type
your comment into the text box on 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.
B. Viewing Documents and Comments
To view comments, as well as any documents mentioned in this notice
as being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=FMCSA-2019-0017 and choose the document to review. If you do
not have access to the internet, you may view the docket online by
visiting the Docket Operations in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of
the DOT West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590,
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays.
C. 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 www.regulations.gov, as described in the system
of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at
www.dot.gov/privacy.
II. Background
Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315(b), FMCSA may grant an exemption
from the FMCSRs for no longer than a 5-year period if it finds such
exemption would likely achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to,
or greater than, the level that would be achieved absent such
exemption. The statute also allows the Agency to renew exemptions at
the end of the 5-year period. FMCSA grants medical exemptions from the
FMCSRs for a 2-year period to align with the maximum duration of a
driver's medical certification.
The 11 individuals listed in this notice have requested an
exemption from the vision requirement in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10).
Accordingly, the Agency will evaluate the qualifications of each
applicant to determine whether granting an exemption will achieve the
required level of safety mandated by statute.
The physical qualification standard for drivers regarding vision
found in Sec. 391.41(b)(10) states that a person is physically
qualified to drive a CMV if that person has distant visual acuity of at
least 20/40 (Snellen) in each eye without corrective lenses or visual
acuity separately corrected to 20/40 (Snellen) or better with
corrective lenses, distant binocular acuity of at least 20/40 (Snellen)
in both eyes with or without corrective lenses, field of vision of at
least 70[deg] in the horizontal Meridian in each eye, and the ability
to recognize the colors of traffic signals and devices showing standard
red, green, and amber.
On July 16, 1992, the Agency first published the criteria for the
Vision Waiver Program, which listed the conditions and reporting
standards that CMV drivers approved for participation would need to
meet (57 FR 31458). The current Vision Exemption Program was
established in 1998, following the enactment of amendments to the
statutes governing exemptions made by Sec. 4007 of the Transportation
Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), Public Law 105-178, 112 Stat.
107, 401 (June 9, 1998). Vision exemptions are considered under the
procedures established in 49 CFR part 381 subpart C, on a case-by-case
basis upon application by CMV drivers who do not meet the vision
standards of Sec. 391.41(b)(10).
To qualify for an exemption from the vision requirement, FMCSA
requires a person to present verifiable evidence that he/she has driven
a commercial vehicle safely in intrastate commerce with the vision
deficiency for the past three years. Recent driving performance is
especially important in evaluating future safety, according to several
research studies designed to correlate past and future driving
performance. Results of these studies support the principle that the
best predictor of future performance by a driver is his/her past record
of crashes and traffic violations. Copies of the studies may be found
at https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=FMCSA-1998-3637.
FMCSA believes it can properly apply the principle to monocular
drivers, because data from the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA)
former waiver study program clearly demonstrated the driving
performance of experienced monocular drivers in the program is better
than that of all CMV drivers collectively.\1\ The fact that experienced
monocular drivers demonstrated safe driving records in the waiver
program supports a conclusion that other monocular drivers, meeting the
same qualifying conditions as those required by the waiver program, are
also likely to have adapted to their vision deficiency and will
continue to operate safely.
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\1\ A thorough discussion of this issue may be found in a FHWA
final rule published in the Federal Register on March 26, 1996 and
available on the internet at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1996-03-26/pdf/96-7226.pdf.
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The first major research correlating past and future performance
was done in England by Greenwood and Yule in 1920. Subsequent studies,
building on that model, concluded that crash rates for the same
individual exposed to certain risks for two different time periods vary
only slightly (See Bates and Neyman, University of California
Publications in Statistics, April 1952). Other studies demonstrated
theories of predicting crash proneness from crash history coupled with
other factors. These factors--such as age, sex, geographic location,
mileage driven and conviction history--are used every day by insurance
companies and motor vehicle bureaus to predict the probability of an
individual experiencing future crashes (See Weber, Donald C.,
``Accident Rate Potential: An Application of Multiple Regression
Analysis of a Poisson Process,'' Journal of American Statistical
Association, June 1971). A 1964 California Driver Record Study prepared
by the California Department of Motor Vehicles concluded that the best
overall crash predictor for both concurrent and nonconcurrent events is
the number of single convictions. This study used three consecutive
years of data, comparing the experiences of drivers in the first two
years with their experiences in the final year.
[[Page 58443]]
III. Qualifications of Applicants
Willie V. Brannon, Jr.
Mr. Brannon, 47, has had glaucoma in his right eye since 2011. The
visual acuity in his right eye is hand motion, and in his left eye, 20/
20. Following an examination in 2019, his ophthalmologist stated, ``It
is my medical opinion that he has sufficient vision to perform the
driving tasks required to operate a commercial vehicle.'' Mr. Brannon
reported that he has driven tractor-trailer combinations for 14 years,
accumulating 1.2 million miles. He holds a Class A CDL from Oklahoma.
His driving record for the last three years shows no crashes and no
convictions for moving violations in a CMV.
Benjamin E. Brown
Mr. Brown, 61, has a cataract in the right eye due to a traumatic
incident in 2007. The visual acuity in his right eye is 20/200, and in
his left eye, 20/20. Following an examination in 2019, his optometrist
stated, ``It is my opinion that Ben does have sufficient vision to
perform the driving tasks required to operate a commercial vehicle.''
Mr. Brown reported that he has driven straight trucks for 38 years,
accumulating 1.5 million miles, and tractor-trailer combinations for 34
years, accumulating 1.9 million miles. He holds a Class AM CDL from
Wyoming. His driving record for the last three years shows no crashes
and no convictions for moving violations in a CMV.
Charles L. Gaines
Mr. Gaines, 48, has had partial optic nerve atrophy in his left eye
since 2009. The visual acuity in his right eye is 20/15, and in his
left eye, 20/50. Following an examination in 2019, his optometrist
stated, ``In my professional opinion, Mr. Gaines has sufficient vision
to perform the driving tasks required to operate a commercial
vehicle.'' Mr. Gaines reported that he has driven straight trucks for
14 years, accumulating 43,000 miles, and tractor-trailer combinations
for 20 years, accumulating 1.3 million miles. He holds a Class A CDL
from North Carolina. His driving record for the last three years shows
no crashes and no convictions for moving violations in a CMV.
James L. Houser
Mr. Houser, 53, has complete loss of vision in his right eye due to
a traumatic incident in childhood. The visual acuity in his right eye
is no light perception, and in his left eye, 20/20. Following an
examination in 2019, his optometrist stated, ``In my medical opinion
James L. Houser has sufficient vision to perform the driving tasks
required to operate a commercial vehicle.'' Mr. Houser reported that he
has driven straight trucks for 20 years, accumulating 15,000 miles, and
tractor-trailer combinations for ten years, accumulating 20,000 miles.
He holds an operator's license from Nebraska. His driving record for
the last three years shows no crashes and no convictions for moving
violations in a CMV.
Andrew J. Kite III
Mr. Kite, 35, has had amblyopia in his left eye since childhood.
The visual acuity in his right eye is 20/20, and in his left eye, 20/
50. Following an examination in 2019, his optometrist stated, ``In my
medical opinion, Andrew has sufficient vision to perform driving tasks
required to operate a commercial vehicle.'' Mr. Kite reported that he
has driven straight trucks for ten years, accumulating 200,000 miles.
He holds an operator's license from Georgia. His driving record for the
last three years shows no crashes and no convictions for moving
violations in a CMV.
Sean P. McSperitt
Mr. McSperitt, 51, has a corneal scar in his left eye due to a
traumatic incident in childhood. The visual acuity in his right eye is
20/15, and in his left eye, 20/150. Following an examination in 2019,
his optometrist stated, ``His vision is sufficient to operate
commercial vehicle in all driving conditions.'' Mr. McSperitt reported
that he has driven straight trucks for 20 years, accumulating 200,000
miles, and tractor-trailer combinations for 21 years, accumulating 4.09
million miles. He holds a Class A CDL from Oregon. His driving record
for the last three years shows no crashes and no convictions for moving
violations in a CMV.
Matthew J. Morrison
Mr. Morrison, 58, has had amblyopia in his left eye since
childhood. The visual acuity in his right eye is 20/20, and in his left
eye, 20/60. Following an examination in 2019, his ophthalmologist
stated, ``In my medical opinion, he has sufficient vision to perform
the driving tasks required to operate a commercial vehicle.'' Mr.
Morrison reported that he has driven straight trucks for 40 years,
accumulating 440,000 miles, and tractor-trailer combinations for eight
years, accumulating 40,000 miles. He holds a Class A CDL from Maryland.
His driving record for the last three years shows no crashes and no
convictions for moving violations in a CMV.
Frederick L. PeLong
Mr. PeLong, 60, has a retinal detachment in his in his left eye due
to a traumatic incident in 1994. The visual acuity in his right eye is
20/20 and in his left eye, hand motion. Following an examination in
2019, his optometrist stated, ``It is my medical opinion that Fred
PeLong has sufficient vision to perform the driving tasks required to
operate a commercial vehicle.'' Mr. PeLong reported that he has driven
straight trucks for eight years, accumulating 120,000 miles. He holds a
Class A CDL from Iowa. His driving record for the last three years
shows no crashes and no convictions for moving violations in a CMV.
Martin S. Reese
Mr. Reese, 59, has had amblyopia in his left eye since childhood.
The visual acuity in his right eye is 20/20, and in his left eye, 20/
200. Following an examination in 2019, his optometrist stated, ``I
certify that in my medical opinion, Martin has sufficient vision to
perform the driving tasks required to operate a commercial vehicle.''
Mr. Reese reported that he has driven straight trucks for one year,
accumulating 60,000 miles, and tractor-trailer combinations for eight
years, accumulating 480,000 miles. He holds a Class A CDL from
California. His driving record for the last three years shows no
crashes and no convictions for moving violations in a CMV.
Devin M. Smith
Mr. Smith, 24, has had optic nerve atrophy in his right eye since
childhood. The visual acuity in his right eye is 20/200, and in his
left eye, 20/20. Following an examination in 2019, his optometrist
stated, ``Mr. Smith has sufficient binocular vision to operate a
commercial vehicle.'' Mr. Smith reported that he has driven straight
trucks for three years, accumulating 24,000 miles, and tractor-trailer
combinations for two years, accumulating 10,000 miles. He holds a Class
A CDL from Ohio. His driving record for the last three years shows no
crashes and no convictions for moving violations in a CMV.
Anthony C. White
Mr. White, 53, has a prosthetic in his right eye due to a traumatic
incident in 2013. The visual acuity in his right eye is no light
perception, and in his left eye, 20/20. Following an examination in
2019, his optometrist stated, ``It is in my opinion Mr. White has
sufficient vision for driving commercial vehicle at this time.'' Mr.
White reported that he has driven buses for 28 years, accumulating
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487,620 miles. He holds a Class BM CDL from Alabama. His driving record
for the last three years shows no crashes and no convictions for moving
violations in a CMV.
IV. Request for Comments
In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315(b), FMCSA requests
public comment from all interested persons on the exemption petitions
described in this notice. We will consider all comments and material
received before the close of business on the closing date indicated
under the DATES section of the notice.
Issued on: October 24, 2019.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2019-23761 Filed 10-30-19; 8:45 am]
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