Regulatory Update – February 2, 2024

February 2, 2024

Update on Relevant Mexican Regulations

SICT Assumes Presidency of National Mobility and Road Safety System
On Jan. 30, the Ministry of Infrastructure Communications and Transportation (SICT)  of the National Mobility and Road Safety System. According to the General Law of Mobility and Road Safety , the presidency of the system will rotate yearly between the SICT and the Ministry of Agrarian, Territorial and Urban Development (SEDATU), which held the presidency until Jan. 30. In October 2023, SEDATU published the  for the organization and operation of the National Mobility and Road Safety System and the  of Mobility and Road Safety 2023-2042. The strategy includes an implementation, monitoring and evaluation plan outlining its methodology and performance indicators. It aims to reduce road traffic deaths and boost equitable and sustainable access to transportation services in Mexico. One of its projects involves standardizing the requirements for the issuance and renewal of driver’s licenses in all Mexican jurisdictions.

Update on Relevant U.S. Regulations

FMCSA Requests Comments on Amendments to the CDL Requirements
On Feb. 2, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)  comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) proposing to increase flexibility for state driver licensing agencies and commercial driver’s license (CDL) applicants. It would expand applicants’ ability to take a CDL skills test in a state other than their state of domicile, permit a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holder who has passed the CDL skills test to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) on public roads without a qualified CDL holder in the passenger seat, and eliminate the requirement that an applicant wait at least 14 days to take the CDL skills test following initial issuance of the CLP. The NPRM also proposes to remove the requirement that CMV drivers must have a passenger endorsement to transport CMVs designed to carry passengers when the vehicle is being transported in a driveaway-towaway operation and the vehicle is not carrying any passengers. FMCSA also proposes to require third-party knowledge examiners be subject to the training, certification and record-check standards currently applicable to state knowledge examiners, and third-party knowledge testers be subject to the auditing and monitoring requirements now applicable to third-party skills testers. Comments are due by April 2.

FMCSA Requests Comments on Practices of Household Brokers ICR
On Jan. 22, FMCSA  comments on the Practices of Household Brokers information collection request (ICR), which applies to household goods (HHG) brokers who are procured by the public to arrange the transportation of the shipper’s household goods by HHG motor carriers. Comments are due by March 22.

FMCSA Announces the Availability of the Medical Examiner’s Handbook
On Jan. 22, FMCSA  the availability of the Medical Examiner’s Handbook (MEH), which includes updates to the Medical Advisory Criteria published in the Code of Federal Regulations. The MEH provides information about regulatory requirements and guidance to medical examiners listed on FMCSA’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners who perform physical qualification examinations of interstate CMV drivers. This guidance went into effect on Jan. 22.

Update on Exemptions

FMSCA Renews Stoneridge Mirror Exemption
On Feb. 2, FMCSA  its decision to provisionally renew Stoneridge Inc.’s (Stoneridge) exemption which will allow motor carriers to operate CMVs with the company’s Mirror Eye Camera Monitor System installed as an alternative to the two rear-vision mirrors required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. This renewed exemption is effective Feb. 13, 2024, through Feb. 12, 2029. Comments are due by March 4.

CVSA Active Exemption Tracker
CVSA maintains a  issued by FMCSA. The exemption tracker can be found at cvsa.org under the “Inspections” tab at the top of the page.