FMCSA proposes equipment, maintenance changes

Responding to requests from several organizations, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has proposed several changes in its regulations concerning the parts and accessories required for safe operation and the inspection, repair and maintenance of equipment. The notice of proposed rulemaking is scheduled to be published in the Oct. 7 issue of the Federal Register.

The proposed changes respond to petitions from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and the American Trucking Associations and two safety recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board. Specifically, the agency proposes to:

• Add a definition of “major tread groove;”

• Revise the rear license plate lamp requirement to provide an exception for truck tractors registered in states that do not require tractors to have a rear license plate;

• Provide specific requirements regarding when violations or defects noted on a roadside inspection report need to be corrected;

• Amend Appendix G to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), "Minimum Periodic Inspection Standards," to include provisions for the inspection of antilock braking systems (ABS), automatic brake adjusters, and brake adjustment indicators, speed-restricted tires, and motorcoach passenger seat mounting anchorages; and

• Amend the periodic inspection rules to eliminate the option for motor carriers to use a violation-free roadside inspection report as proof of completing a comprehensive inspection at least once every 12 months.

FMCSA also proposed to eliminate introductory text from Appendix G to the FMCSRs because the discussion of the differences between the North American Standard Inspection out-of-service criteria and FMCSA’s periodic inspection criteria is unnecessary.

For a copy of the NRPM, click here.