Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision |
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Larry W. Minor
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
11 December 2020
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 239 (Friday, December 11, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80220-80222]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27215]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
[Docket No. FMCSA-2020-0012]
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision
AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of final disposition.
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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its decision to exempt five individuals from
the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations
(FMCSRs) to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate
commerce. They are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for
various reasons. The exemptions enable these individuals to operate
CMVs in interstate commerce without meeting the vision requirement in
one eye.
[[Page 80221]]
DATES: The exemptions were applicable on December 3, 2020. The
exemptions expire on December 3, 2022.
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. If you have
questions regarding viewing or submitting material to the docket,
contact Dockets Operations, (202) 366-9826.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Public Participation
A. 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-2020-0012 and choose the document to review. If you do
not have access to the internet, you may view the docket online by
visiting Dockets Operations in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the
DOT West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-
0001, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., ET, Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call
(202) 366-9317 or (202) 366-9826 before visiting Dockets Operations.
B. 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.transportation.gov/privacy.
II. Background
On November 2, 2020, FMCSA published a notice announcing receipt of
applications from five individuals requesting an exemption from the
vision requirement in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10) and requested comments from
the public (85 FR 69382). The public comment period ended on December
2, 2020, and one comment was received.
FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility of these applicants and
determined that granting the exemptions to these individuals would
achieve a level of safety equivalent to, or greater than, the level
that would be achieved by complying with Sec. 391.41(b)(10).
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 a 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 red,
green, and amber.
III. Discussion of Comments
FMCSA received one comment in this proceeding. Tracy Ibinger
submitted a comment stating that the Minnesota Department of Public
Safety has no objections to the Agency's decision to grant an exemption
to Wesley D. Enkers.
IV. Basis for Exemption Determination
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 Agency's decision regarding these exemption applications is
based on medical reports about the applicants' vision, as well as their
driving records and experience driving with the vision deficiency. The
qualifications, experience, and medical condition of each applicant
were stated and discussed in detail in the November 2, 2020, Federal
Register notice (85 FR 69382) and will not be repeated here.
FMCSA recognizes that some drivers do not meet the vision
requirement but have adapted their driving to accommodate their
limitation and demonstrated their ability to drive safely. The five
exemption applicants listed in this notice are in this category. They
are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for various
reasons, including amblyopia, chorioretinal scarring, optic neuropathy,
and prosthesis. In most cases, their eye conditions did not develop
recently. Three of the applicants were either born with their vision
impairments or have had them since childhood. The two individuals that
developed their vision conditions as adults have had them for a range
of 8 to 11 years. Although each applicant has one eye that does not
meet the vision requirement in Sec. 391.41(b)(10), each has at least
20/40 corrected vision in the other eye, and, in a doctor's opinion,
has sufficient vision to perform all the tasks necessary to operate a
CMV.
Doctors' opinions are supported by the applicants' possession of a
valid license to operate a CMV. By meeting State licensing
requirements, the applicants demonstrated their ability to operate a
CMV with their limited vision in intrastate commerce, even though their
vision disqualified them from driving in interstate commerce. We
believe that the applicants' intrastate driving experience and history
provide an adequate basis for predicting their ability to drive safely
in interstate commerce. Intrastate driving, like interstate operations,
involves substantial driving on highways on the interstate system and
on other roads built to interstate standards. Moreover, driving in
congested urban areas exposes the driver to more pedestrian and
vehicular traffic than exists on interstate highways. Faster reaction
to traffic and traffic signals is generally required because distances
between them are more compact. These conditions tax visual capacity and
driver response just as intensely as interstate driving conditions.
The applicants in this notice have driven CMVs with their limited
vision in careers ranging for 8 to 50 years. In the past 3 years, no
drivers were involved in crashes, and no drivers were convicted of
moving violations in CMVs. All the applicants achieved a record of
safety while driving with their vision impairment that demonstrates the
likelihood that they have adapted their driving skills to accommodate
their condition. As the applicants' ample driving histories with their
vision deficiencies are good predictors of future performance, FMCSA
concludes their ability to drive safely can be projected into the
future.
Consequently, FMCSA finds that in each case exempting these
applicants from the vision requirement in Sec. 391.41(b)(10) is likely
to achieve a level of safety equal to that existing without the
exemption.
V. Conditions and Requirements
The terms and conditions of the exemption are provided to the
applicants in the exemption document and includes the following: (1)
Each driver must be physically examined every year (a) by an
ophthalmologist or optometrist who attests that the vision
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in the better eye continues to meet the standard in Sec. 391.41(b)(10)
and (b) by a certified medical examiner (ME) who attests that the
individual is otherwise physically qualified under Sec. 391.41; (2)
each driver must provide a copy of the ophthalmologist's or
optometrist's report to the ME at the time of the annual medical
examination; and (3) each driver must provide a copy of the annual
medical certification to the employer for retention in the driver's
qualification file, or keep a copy in his/her driver's qualification
file if he/she is self-employed. The driver must also have a copy of
the exemption when driving, for presentation to a duly authorized
Federal, State, or local enforcement official.
VI. Preemption
During the period the exemption is in effect, no State shall
enforce any law or regulation that conflicts with this exemption with
respect to a person operating under the exemption.
VII. Conclusion
Based upon its evaluation of the five exemption applications, FMCSA
exempts the following drivers from the vision requirement, Sec.
391.41(b)(10), subject to the requirements cited above:
Wesley D. Enkers (MN)
Michael J. Jewell (CO)
Anthony G. Offutt (OR)
Joseph Sottile (IL)
Michael Westervelt (MT)
In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315(b), each exemption
will be valid for 2 years from the effective date unless revoked
earlier by FMCSA. The exemption will be revoked if the following
occurs: (1) The person fails to comply with the terms and conditions of
the exemption; (2) the exemption has resulted in a lower level of
safety than was maintained prior to being granted; or (3) continuation
of the exemption would not be consistent with the goals and objectives
of 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315(b).
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2020-27215 Filed 12-10-20; 8:45 am]
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