2013-13781. Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Exemption Renewal for the Flatbed Carrier Safety Group

AGENCY:

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice of renewal of exemption; request for comments.

SUMMARY:

FMCSA renews the Flatbed Carrier Safety Group's (FCSG) exemption which allows the securement of metal coils on a flatbed vehicle, in a sided vehicle, or in an intermodal container loaded with eyes crosswise, grouped in rows, in which the coils are loaded to contact each other in the longitudinal direction. Motor carriers may continue to use the pre-January 1, 2004 cargo securement regulations for the transportation of groups of metal coils with eyes crosswise, as this loading configuration is not currently covered under the Agency's commodity-specific rules for securing metal coils in 49 CFR 393.120. The Agency has concluded that granting this exemption renewal will maintain a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety achieved without the exemption. However, the Agency requests comments on this issue, especially from anyone who believes this standard will not be maintained.

DATES:

This decision is effective June 11, 2013. Comments must be received on or before July 11, 2013.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments bearing the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) number FMCSA—by any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
• Hand Delivery: Ground Floor, Room W12-140, DOT Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
• Fax: [phone].

Instructions: Each submission must include the Agency name and docket number for this notice. For detailed instructions on submitting comments and additional information on the exemption process, see the “Public Participation” heading below. Note that all comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov,, including any personal information provided. Please see the “Privacy Act” heading for further information.

Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov or to Room W12-140, DOT Building, New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) is available 24 hours each day, 365 days each year. If you want acknowledgement that we received your comments, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope or postcard or print the acknowledgement page that appears after submitting comments on-line.

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 for the FDMS published in the Federal Register published on December 29, 2010 (73 FR 82132) or you may visit http://edocket/​access.gpo.gov/​2008/​pdf/​E8-785.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Luke W. Loy, Vehicle and Roadside Operations Division, Office of Bus and Truck Standards and Operations, MC-PSV, [phone], Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315(b)(1), FMCSA may renew an exemption from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for a two-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.” FCSG has requested a two-year extension for the exemption from 49 CFR 393.120 to allow motor carriers to comply with the pre-January 1, 2004 cargo securement regulations (then at 49 CFR 393.100(c)) for the transportation of groups of metal coils with eyes crosswise. The procedures for requesting an exemption (including renewals) are set out in 49 CFR part 381.

Basis for Renewing Exemption

FCSG applied for an exemption from 49 CFR 393.120 in 2010 to allow motor carriers to comply with the pre-January 1, 2004 cargo securement regulations for the transportation of groups of metal coils with eyes crosswise. On April 14, 2011, FMCSA published a notice of final disposition in the Federal Register granting the exemption (76 FR 20867). The renewal outlined in this notice extends the exemption through April 13, 2015, and requests public comment.

FMCSA is not aware of any evidence showing that compliance with the pre-January 1, 2004 cargo securement regulations for the transportation of groups of metal coils with eyes crosswise, in accordance with the conditions of the original exemption, has resulted in any degradation in safety. The Agency believes that extending the exemption for a period of two years will likely achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety achieved without the exemption because the metal coils are grouped and secured together in the longitudinal direction, i.e., “unitized,” with the cargo securement system meeting all of the aggregate working load limit requirements of 49 CFR 393.106(d).

The exemption is renewed subject to the following requirements, provided motor carriers using the exemption continue to meet the aggregate working load limits of 49 CFR 393.106(d).

Coils with eyes crosswise: If coils are loaded to contact each other in the longitudinal direction, and relative motion between coils, and between coils and the vehicle, is prevented by tiedown assemblies and timbers:

(1) Only the foremost and rearmost coils must be secured with timbers having a nominal cross section of 4 x 4 inches or more and a length which is at least 75 percent of the width of the coil or row of coils, tightly placed against both the front and rear sides of the row of coils and restrained to prevent movement of the coils in the forward and rearward directions; and

(2) The first and last coils in a row of coils must be secured with a tiedown assembly restricting against forward and rearward motion, respectively. Each additional coil in the row of coils must be secured to the trailer using a tiedown assembly.

The exemption will be valid for two years unless rescinded earlier by FMCSA. The exemption will be rescinded if: (1) Motor carriers and/or commercial motor vehicles fail to comply with the terms and conditions of the exemption; (2) the exemption has resulted in a lower level of safety than was maintained before it was granted; or (3) continuation of the exemption would not be consistent with the goals and objectives of 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315.

Request for Comments

FMCSA requests comments from parties with data concerning the safety record of motor carriers transporting groups of metal coils with eyes crosswise, in accordance with the conditions of the original exemption, by July 11, 2013. The Agency will evaluate any adverse evidence submitted and, if safety is being compromised or if continuation of the exemption would not be consistent with the goals and objectives of 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315(b)(1), FMCSA will take immediate steps to revoke the FCSG exemption.

Issued on: June 3, 2013.

Anne S. Ferro,

Administrator.