Federal Register #2026-07159

FMCSA Renews and Grants Hearing Exemptions; FAA Requires Fuel Tank Flammability Reports

This notice covers the renewal and granting of medical exemptions and an information collection requirement by the Department of Transportation: - Government Buyer: - Department of Transportation (DOT) - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) - Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) - FMCSA Exemptions: - 21 interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers received renewed exemptions from the hearing requirement - 18 additional drivers granted new exemptions from the same requirement - Exemptions allow hard of hearing and deaf individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce - Exemptions valid for two years - Notable requirements: - Mandatory reporting of crashes and citations - Submission of annual certified driving records - Prohibition from operating passenger-carrying vehicles (e.g., motorcoaches, buses) in interstate commerce - FAA Information Collection: - Design Approval Holders (DAHs) for transport category airplanes must submit semi-annual reports - Reports cover component reliability and flammability analysis for fuel tank safety - Approximately 16 DAHs affected - Estimated burden: 40 hours per report - OEMs and Vendors: - No specific OEMs or vendors are named in the exemption or information collection notice - Products/Services Requested: - No physical products are being procured - Service: Submission of semi-annual safety and reliability reports by DAHs - Unique Requirements: - Medical exemptions for individual drivers - Regulatory compliance reporting for aviation safety - Locations: - Main federal office: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC (FMCSA and FAA headquarters)

Description

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has decided to renew exemptions for 21 individuals from the hearing requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) for interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. These exemptions allow hard of hearing and deaf individuals to continue operating CMVs in interstate commerce. The decision is based on evaluations of the applicants' driving records and safety analyses, concluding that the exemptions maintain a level of safety equivalent to or greater than compliance with the hearing standard. The exemptions are granted for a two-year period with specific terms and conditions, including reporting requirements and restrictions on operating passenger-carrying vehicles.

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