Update on Relevant U.S. Regulations
PHMSA and NRC Request Comments on Transportation of Radioactive Materials
On March 11, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requested comments on issues regarding requirements in the International Atomic Energy Agency regulations for the safe transport of radioactive materials. Comments are due by April 15.
PHMSA Publishes Updates on Special Permits
On March 8, PHMSA published updates on special permit applications:
- List of Applications for Special Permits – Comments are due by April 10.
- List of Applications for Modification of Special Permits – Comments are due by March 26.
- Notice of Actions on Special Permit Applications – Comments are due by April 10.
FMCSA Requests Comments on Safety Impacts of Human-ADS Team Driving Applications ICR
On March 8, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requested comments on an information collection request (ICR) titled Safety Impacts of Human-Automated Driving System (ADS) Team Driving Applications, which is a driving simulator study with a series of questionnaires that will quantify the safety implications of team driving applications between humans and ADS-equipped commercial motor vehicles (CMV). Comments are due by April 8.
FMCSA Announces Upcoming TLTF Meeting
On March 5, FMCSA announced a hybrid meeting of the Truck Leasing Task Force (TLTF), which will take place on March 21. Pre-registration is required to attend.
PHMSA Publishes Final Rule on HMR Updates
On March 4, PHMSA published a final rule making updates to the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). These changes update, clarify, improve the safety of or streamline various regulatory requirements. Specifically, this final rule responds to 18 petitions for rulemaking submitted by the regulated community between May 2018 and October 2020, including but not limited to petitions addressing packaging, hazard communication and the incorporation by reference of certain documents. This final rule is effective on April 3.
Update on Exemptions
CVSA Active Exemption Tracker
CVSA maintains a list of active exemptions issued by FMCSA. The exemption tracker can be found at cvsa.org under the “Inspections” tab at the top of the page.
Other Items of Interest
FMCSA Announces Dates for Our Roads, Our Safety Week
On March 14, FMCSA announced the dates for Our Roads, Our Safety Week, which will take place from May 5-11. Our Roads, Our Safety Week is a national, annual safety observance dedicated to raising awareness on how to share the road safely with large trucks and buses.
FMCSA Announces Over $180 Million in Safety Grants
On March 4, FMCSA announced the availability of more than $180 million in grants to promote roadway safety. These grants, part of the funding included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, are open to state, territorial and tribal organizations; local jurisdictions; academic institutions; and other training programs and entities to promote CMV safety-related activities. Grant applications for fiscal 2024 are due by April 19.