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Safety Fitness Determinations; Public Listening Session Publication: Federal Register Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Byline: Sue Lawless Date: 7 June 2024 Subject: American Government  , Safety
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 111 (Friday, June 7, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48703-48704]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-12530]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
[Docket No. FMCSA-2022-0003]
Safety Fitness Determinations; Public Listening Session
AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Department
of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of public listening session.
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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces that it will host a listening session
pertaining to development of an updated methodology to determine when a
motor carrier is not fit to operate commercial motor vehicles in or
affecting interstate commerce. Specifically, the Agency would like to
hear from members of the public on issues of concern relating to the
current Safety Fitness Determination (SFD), including, for example, the
three-tiered rating system (Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory, Conditional)
versus changing to a proposed single rating only when a carrier is
found to be Unfit; utilizing inspection data and FMCSA's Safety
Measurement System (SMS); incorporating driver behavior into SFD
ratings; and revising the list of safety violations used to calculate
the rating, and adjusting the weights allocated to particular
violations including increasing the weight for unsafe driving
violations. This FMCSA-hosted listening session will be open to all
interested persons and will take place concurrently with the Texas
Trucking Show in Houston, TX. All comments will be transcribed and
placed in the public docket for the regulatory action. Individuals with
diverse experiences and perspectives are encouraged to attend. In a
separate notice, FMCSA will formally announce and provide separate
registration information for two related virtual-only listening
sessions on the same topics to be held in June and July, 2024.
DATES: The public listening session will be held on Saturday, June 29,
2024, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. CT. The session will be held in
person. The listening session may end early if all participants wishing
to express their views have done so.
Public Comment: The in-person session will allow members of the
public to make brief statements to the panel. FMCSA will accept written
comments to the docket through August 7, 2024.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the NRG Center, 1 NRG Parkway,
Houston, TX 77054, in the Seminar Area next to the Trucking Exhibition.
Please arrive early to allow time to check in and arrive at the room.
Attendees do not need to preregister for the listening session but are
required to register for the Texas Trucking Show using this link:
https://texastruckingshow.com/register.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stacy Ropp, (609) 661-2062,
SafetyFitnessDetermination@dot.gov.
Services for Individuals with Disabilities: FMCSA is committed to
providing equal access to the listening session. For accommodations for
persons with disabilities, please email FMCSA.OUTREACH@dot.gov at least
2 weeks in advance of the meeting to allow time to make appropriate
arrangements.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Public Participation and Request for Comments
FMCSA encourages participation in the session and providing of
comments. Members of the public may submit written comments to the
public dockets for this action using any of the following methods:
A. Submitting Comments
If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this
notice (FMCSA-2022-0003). You may submit your comments and material
online or by mail or hand delivery, but please use only one of these
methods. FMCSA recommends that you include
[[Page 48704]]
your name, email address, or a phone number in the body of your
document.
To submit your comment online, go to www.regulations.gov. Insert
the docket number (FMCSA-2022-0003) in the keyword box and click
``Search.'' Choose the document you want to comment on and click the
``Comment'' button. Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments.
FMCSA will consider all comments and material received during the
comment period for this notice, as described in the DATES section.
B. Viewing Comments and Documents
To view comments, go to www.regulations.gov and insert the docket
number (FMCSA-2022-0003) in the keyword box and click ``Search.''
Choose this notice and click ``Browse Comments.'' If you have questions
on viewing or submitting material to the docket, contact Dockets
Operations at (202) 366-9826. Business hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30
p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. You may also
submit or view docket entries in person or by mail: U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Ground Floor,
Washington, DC 20590-0001. To be sure someone is there to help you,
please call (202) 366-9317 or (202) 366-9826 before visiting Dockets
Operations.
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, 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 https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/privacy/privacy-act-system-records-notices. The comments
are posted without edits and are searchable by the name of the
submitter.
II. Background
FMCSA believes it is in the public interest to host a public
listening session to receive additional comments on matters within
FMCSA's jurisdiction, including its SFD process. Accordingly, FMCSA is
announcing this listening session, being held at 1:00 p.m. on June 29,
2024, in Houston, TX, concurrently with the 2024 Texas Trucking Show.
The listening session will be held in the Seminar Area next to the
Trucking Exhibition. You may view a floorplan of the event at https://texastruckingshow.com/floorplan. FMCSA will also publish another notice
formally announcing, and providing separate registration information
for, two related virtual-only listening sessions on the same topics to
be held in June and July, 2024.
FMCSA's listening session is open to the public. Registration with
the Texas Trucking Show is required to attend FMCSA's listening
session. Registration is free and may be completed online at https://texastruckingshow.com/register.
FMCSA is currently contemplating changes to its SFD process. To
that end, the Agency published an ANPRM soliciting public input on the
potential use of the SMS methodology to issue SFDs (88 FR 59489, Aug.
29, 2023). This public listening session is intended to gain additional
feedback on issues of concern relating to the current SFD, including,
for example:
Continuing the current SFD three-tiered rating system
(Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory, Conditional) versus changing to a
proposed single rating, issued only when a carrier is found to be
Unfit;
Utilizing inspection data and FMCSA's SMS;
Incorporating driver behavior into SFD ratings; and
Revising the list of safety violations used to calculate
the rating, and adjusting the weights allocated to particular
violations, including increasing the weight for 49 CFR 392.2 (unsafe
driving) violations.
III. Meeting Participation
The listening session is open to the public. Speakers' remarks will
be limited to 3 minutes each.
Sue Lawless,
Acting Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2024-12530 Filed 6-6-24; 8:45 am]
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