[Federal Register: April 13, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 71)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 18615-18616]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13ap07-23]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
49 CFR Parts 385, 386, 390, 392, 393, 396, and Appendix G to
Subchapter B of Chapter III
[Docket No. FMCSA-2005-23315]
RIN 2126-AA86
Requirements for Intermodal Equipment Providers and Motor
Carriers and Drivers Operating Intermodal Equipment; Reopening of
Comment Period
AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of public listening sessions; reopening of comment
period.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is
reopening until May 21, 2007, the comment period on its December 21,
2006 notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) concerning inspection, repair
and maintenance responsibilities for intermodal equipment providers and
motor carriers operating container chassis. The FMCSA is also
announcing a series of public listening sessions to obtain additional
feedback on the Agency's NPRM from motor carriers, representatives of
the intermodal transportation industry, and interested parties. The
listening sessions are intended to provide all interested parties an
opportunity to respond to the issues associated with this rulemaking.
All oral comments will be transcribed and placed in the public docket
identified at the beginning of this notice.
DATES: Your comments must be submitted to the docket on or before May
21, 2007.
Dates for the public listening sessions: April 27, 2007, from 10
a.m. to 4:30 p.m., in Norfolk, VA; May 3, 2007, from 9:30 a,m. to 4:30
p.m., in Port Newark, NJ; and May 18, 2007, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., in Long Beach, CA.
ADDRESSES: The April 27, 2007 meeting will be held at the Kirn Memorial
Library, 301 East City Hall Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia. The May 3, 2007
meeting will be held at The Seamen's Church Institute, SCI's Seafarers'
Center, 118 Export Street, Port Newark, New Jersey. The May 18, 2007
meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Long Beach Airport, 2640
Lakewood Boulevard, Long Beach, California.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms Deborah M. Freund, Senior
Transportation Specialist, Vehicle and Roadside Operations Division,
FMCSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Telephone (202)
366-4009 or e-mail deborah.freund@dot.gov. Office hours are from 8 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
If you wish to make a formal presentation, please contact Ms.
Deborah Freund no later than 5 p.m., e.t., 2 business days before the
date of the session you will attend. Information on Services for
Individuals with Disabilities: For information on facilities or
services for individuals with disabilities or to request special
assistance at the meeting, please e-mail or telephone Deborah Freund.
To request special assistance for one or more of the Listening
Sessions, contact Ms. Freund no later than 5 business days before the
date of the session.
You may also submit comments to the DOT Docket Management System
(DMS), referencing Docket Number FMCSA-2005-23315, using any of the
following methods:
Web Site: http://dms.dot.gov. Follow the instructions for
submitting comments on the DOT electronic docket site.
Fax: 1-202-493-2251. Mail: Docket Management Facility;
U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif
Building, Room PL-401, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments.
Instructions: All submissions must include the Agency name and
docket number or Regulatory Identification Number (RIN 2126-AA86) for
this rulemaking. Note that all comments received will be posted without
change to http://dms.dot.gov including any personal information
provided. For additional information on submitting comments, see the
Supplemental Information section of this document.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to http://dms.dot.gov at any time or to Room PL-
401 on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.
Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on
April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 19477-78) or you may visit
http://dms.dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On December 21, 2006 (71 FR 76796), FMCSA published an NPRM to
amend the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to address
the safety of intermodal equipment (IME) used by motor carriers for
transportation of intermodal containers in interstate commerce. As
mandated by section 4118 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), this
rulemaking would require intermodal equipment providers (IEPs) to
register and file with FMCSA an Intermodal Equipment Provider
Identification Report (Form MCS 150C); display the USDOT Number, or
other unique identifier, on each intermodal container chassis offered
for transportation in interstate commerce; establish a systematic
inspection, repair, and maintenance program to ensure the safe
operating condition of each intermodal container chassis; maintain
documentation of the program; and provide a means to effectively
respond to driver and motor carrier reports about intermodal container
chassis mechanical defects and deficiencies.
The proposed regulations would for the first time make IEPs subject
to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). The agency is
also proposing additional inspection requirements for motor carriers
and drivers operating intermodal equipment. The intent of this
rulemaking is to ensure that intermodal equipment used to transport
intermodal containers is safe and systematically maintained. Improved
maintenance is expected to result in fewer out-of-service orders and
highway breakdowns involving intermodal chassis and improved efficiency
of the Nation's intermodal transportation system. To whatever extent
inadequately maintained intermodal chassis are responsible for,
[[Page 18616]]
or contribute to, crashes, this proposal would also help to ensure that
commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operations are safer.
Purpose of the Listening Session
The FMCSA is committed to providing all interested parties an
opportunity to discuss their perspectives on the pertinent issues that
could affect any potential rulemaking changes. The Agency has received
numerous comments in response to its NPRM but believes additional
information could be obtained through these listening sessions.
Participants at the listening sessions will be given the
opportunity to submit questions that they would like to hear discussed
by others in attendance. FMCSA encourages persons who have prepared
statements to submit them to the public docket rather than use time at
a listening session to read them aloud. Persons who wish to submit
written comments or statements should submit the information to the
public docket identified in this notice. Those who desire notification
of receipt of their comments must include a self-addressed, stamped
envelope or postcard. Comments made during the meeting will be
transcribed to preserve an accurate record of the discussion.
Issued on: April 10, 2007.
Larry W. Minor,
Acting Associate Administrator, Policy and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 07-1865 Filed 4-11-07; 12:48 pm]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P