Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Application for an Exemption From Forward Thinking Systems LLC

Topics:  Forward Thinking Systems

Larry W. Minor
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
14 July 2021

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 132 (Wednesday, July 14, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37205-37207]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14983]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2021-0099]


Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Application 
for an Exemption From Forward Thinking Systems LLC

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of application for exemption; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA requests public comment on an application for exemption 
from Forward Thinking Systems LLC (FTS) to allow its Fleetcam

[[Page 37206]]

system, which is equipped with cameras, to be mounted lower in the 
windshield on commercial motor vehicles than is currently permitted.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 13, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Docket Number FMCSA-
2021-0099 using any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=FMCSA-2021-0099. 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 or Courier: Dockets Operations, 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. To be sure 
someone is there to help you, please call (202) 366-9317 or (202) 366-
9826 before visiting Dockets Operations.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jos[eacute] R. Cestero, Vehicle 
and Roadside Operations Division, Office of Carrier, Driver, and 
Vehicle Safety, MC-PSV, (202) 366-5541, Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001. 
If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, 
call Dockets Operations at (202) 366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. 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 2021-0099), indicate the specific section of this 
document to which the 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 FMCSA can contact you if there are questions regarding your 
submission.
    To submit your comment online, go to www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=FMCSA-2021-0099, 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.

Viewing Comments and Documents

    To view comments, as well as any documents mentioned in this 
preamble as being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=FMCSA-2021-0099 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., 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.

Privacy Act

    DOT solicits comments from the public to better inform its 
regulatory processes, in accordance with statute 49 U.S.C. 
31315(b)(6)(A). 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--Federal Docket 
Management System), which can be reviewed at www.transportation.gov/privacy.

II. Legal Basis

    FMCSA has authority under 49 U.S.C. 31315(b) to grant exemptions 
from certain parts of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations 
(FMCSRs). FMCSA must publish a notice of each exemption request in the 
Federal Register (49 CFR 381.315(a)). The Agency must provide the 
public an opportunity to inspect the information relevant to the 
application, including any safety analyses that have been conducted. 
The Agency must also provide an opportunity for public comment on the 
request. The Agency reviews the safety analyses and the public comments 
and determines whether granting the exemption would likely achieve a 
level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level that would be 
achieved by the current regulation (49 CFR 381.305). The decision of 
the Agency must be published in the Federal Register (49 CFR 
381.315(b)). If the Agency denies the request, it must state the reason 
for doing so. If the decision is to grant the exemption, the notice 
must specify the person or class of persons receiving the exemption and 
the regulatory provision or provisions from which an exemption is 
granted. The notice must specify the effective period of the exemption 
(up to 5 years) and explain the terms and conditions of the exemption. 
The exemption may be renewed (49 CFR 381.315(c) and 49 CFR 381.300(b)).

FTS's Application for Exemption

    The FMCSRs require devices meeting the definition of ``vehicle 
safety technology'' to be mounted (1) not more than 4 inches below the 
upper edge of the area swept by the windshield wipers, or (2) not more 
than 7 inches above the lower edge of the area swept by the windshield 
wipers, and outside the driver's sight lines to the road and highway 
signs and signals. FTS has applied for an exemption from 49 CFR 
393.60(e)(1) to allow its Fleetcam device system, which is equipped 
with camera(s) and safety technologies, to be mounted lower in the 
windshield than is currently permitted. A copy of the exemption 
application is included in the docket referenced at the beginning of 
this notice.

Request for Comments

    In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31315(b)(6), FMCSA requests public 
comment from all interested persons on FTS's application for an 
exemption. All comments received before the close of business on the 
comment closing date indicated at the beginning of this notice will be 
considered and will be available for examination in the docket at the 
location listed under the ADDRESSES section of this notice. Comments 
received after the comment closing date will be filed in the public 
docket and will be considered to the extent practicable. In addition to 
late comments, FMCSA will also continue to file, in the public docket, 
relevant information that becomes available after the comment closing 
date. Interested

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persons should continue to examine the public docket for new material.

Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2021-14983 Filed 7-13-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P