[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 173 (Friday, September 6, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47048-47050]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19255]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2019-0109]


Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Hearing

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 29 individuals 
for an exemption from the hearing requirement in the Federal Motor 
Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to operate a commercial motor 
vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would 
enable these hard of hearing and deaf individuals to operate CMVs in 
interstate commerce.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 7, 2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by the Federal Docket 
Management System (FDMS) Docket No. FMCSA-2019-0109 using any of the 
following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=FMCSA-2019-0109. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility; 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,

[[Page 47049]]

Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. If you have questions 
regarding viewing or submitting material to the docket, contact Docket 
Services, (202) 366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Public Participation

A. Submitting Comments

    If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
notice (Docket No. FMCSA-2019-0109), 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-2019-0109. 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-2019-0109 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 Management Facility 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 29 individuals listed in this notice have requested an 
exemption from the hearing requirement in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(11). 
Accordingly, the Agency will evaluate the qualifications of each 
applicant to determine whether granting the exemption will achieve the 
required level of safety mandated by statute.
    The physical qualification standard for drivers regarding hearing 
found in Sec.  391.41(b)(11) states that a person is physically 
qualified to drive a CMV if that person first perceives a forced 
whispered voice in the better ear at not less than 5 feet with or 
without the use of a hearing aid or, if tested by use of an audiometric 
device, does not have an average hearing loss in the better ear greater 
than 40 decibels at 500 Hz, 1,000 Hz, and 2,000 Hz with or without a 
hearing aid when the audiometric device is calibrated to American 
National Standard (formerly ASA Standard) Z24.5-1951.
    This standard was adopted in 1970 and was revised in 1971 to allow 
drivers to be qualified under this standard while wearing a hearing 
aid, 35 FR 6458, 6463 (April 22, 1970) and 36 FR 12857 (July 3, 1971).
    On February 1, 2013, FMCSA announced in a Notice of Final 
Disposition titled, ``Qualification of Drivers; Application for 
Exemptions; National Association of the Deaf,'' (78 FR 7479), its 
decision to grant requests from 40 individuals for exemptions from the 
Agency's physical qualification standard concerning hearing for 
interstate CMV drivers. Since that time the Agency has published 
additional notices granting requests from hard of hearing and deaf 
individuals for exemptions from the Agency's physical qualification 
standard concerning hearing for interstate CMV drivers.

III. Qualifications of Applicants

Erin Barnes

    Ms. Barnes, 28 years-old, holds an operator's license in Oklahoma.

Alicia Batiste

    Ms. Batiste, 36 years-old, holds an operator's license in Texas.

Jeremy Benoit

    Mr. Benoit, 32 years-old, holds an operator's license in Lousiana.

Kurt Bernabei

    Mr. Bernabei, 21 years-old, holds an operator's license in 
Illinois.

Jessica L. Driver

    Ms. Driver, 39 years-old, holds an operator's license in Texas.

Donald P. Dunten

    Mr. Dunten, 54 years-old, holds an operator's license in Indiana.

Steven Edwards

    Mr. Edwards, 64 years-old, holds an operator's license in Kansas.

Debbie Gaskill

    Ms. Gaskill, 50 years-old, holds an operator's license in Georgia.

Steven J. Gandee

    Mr. Gandee, 46 years-old, holds an operator's license in 
Pennsylvania.

Daniel S. Geathers

    Mr. Geathers, 32 years-old, holds an operator's license in 
Virginia.

Gregory A. Hale

    Mr. Hale, 59 years-old, holds an operator's license in Arizona.

Richard Harrison

    Mr. Harrison, 50 years-old, holds an operator's license in 
Missouri.

Charles Hine

    Mr. Hine, 29 years-old, holds an operator's license in Maryland.

Robert B. Mahan

    Mr. Mahan, 57 years-old, holds a class A CDL in Oklahoma.

Michael Penn

    Mr. Penn, 55 years-old, holds an operator's license in Indiana.

Ernest Pratt

    Mr. Pratt, 47 years-old, holds an operator's license in 
Pennsylvania.

James R. Quinn

    Mr. Quinn, 37 years-old, holds an operator's license in Tennessee.

[[Page 47050]]

Matthew Ramirez

    Mr. Ramirez, 36 years-old, holds an operator's license in South 
Carolina.

Steven Robelia

    Mr. Robelia, 55 years-old, holds a class A CDL in Wisconsin.

Timothy Roberts

    Mr. Roberts, 29 years-old, holds an operator's license in 
Tennessee.

Willis O. Ryan

    Mr. Ryan, 53 years-old, holds a class A CDL in Georgia.

Kerry Stewart

    Mr. Stewart, 54 years-old, holds an operator's license in Indiana.

Mark J. Tabangcora

    Mr. Tabangcora, 37 years-old, holds an operator's license in 
California.

Yenter Tu

    Mr. Tu, 46 years-old, holds an operator's license in Texas.

Alan Vandermeulen

    Mr. Vandermeulen, 89 years-old, holds a class A CDL in Iowa.

Yvon Victor

    Mr. Victor, 42 years-old, holds a class A CDL in New Jersey.

Bret E. Wanner

    Mr. Wanner, 30 years-old, holds an operator's license in 
Pennsylvania.

Rodney Warfield

    Mr. Warfield, 33 years-old, holds an operator's license in 
Maryland.

David Whisman

    Mr. Whisman, 57 years-old, holds a class A CDL in Georgia.

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 received before 
the close of business on the closing date indicated under the DATES 
section of the notice.

    Issued on: August 29, 2019.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2019-19255 Filed 9-5-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P


