FMCSA may change bus lease/interchange rule

Having already delayed enforcement of its current rule a year to January 1, 2018, FMCSA announced August 31 that it would conduct a rulemaking to make changes in its rules governing the lease and interchange of passenger-carrying commercial motor vehicles. The agency also plans to conduct a public roundtable to take further input.

FMCSA said it will consider changes in four areas: (1) Exclusion of “chartering” (i.e., subcontracting) from the leasing requirements; (2) amending the CMV requirements for the location of temporary markings for leased/interchanged vehicles; (3) changing the requirement that carriers notify customers within 24 hours when they subcontract service to other carriers; (4) expanding the 48-hour delay in preparing a lease to include emergencies when passengers are not actually on board a bus.

For a copy of FMCSA’s announcement, go to https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-20609.