Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders

Larry W. Minor
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
September 18, 2014

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 181 (Thursday, September 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56098-56099]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-22138]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2014-0214]


Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Epilepsy and 
Seizure Disorders

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of applications for exemption, request for comments.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 6 individuals for 
an exemption from the prohibition against persons with a clinical 
diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition which is likely to cause a 
loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to operate a commercial 
motor vehicle (CMV) from operating CMVs in interstate commerce. The 
regulation and the associated advisory criteria published in the Code 
of Federal Regulations as the ``Instructions for Performing and 
Recording Physical Examinations'' have resulted in numerous drivers 
being prohibited from operating CMVs in interstate commerce based on 
the fact that they have had one or more seizures and are taking anti-
seizure medication, rather than an individual analysis of their 
circumstances by a qualified medical examiner. If granted, the 
exemptions would enable these individuals who have had one or more 
seizures and are taking anti-seizure medication to operate CMVs for 2 
years in interstate commerce.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 20, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments bearing the Federal Docket 
Management System (FDMS) Docket ID FMCSA-2014-0214 using 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, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    Each submission must include the Agency name and the docket ID for 
this Notice. Note that DOT posts all comments received without change 
to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
included in a comment. Please see the Privacy Act heading below.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments, go to http://www.regulations.gov at any time or Room W12-140 
on the ground level of the West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. The FDMS is available 24 hours each day, 365 
days each year. If you want acknowledgment 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 may search the electronic form of all comments 
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or of the person signing the comment, if 
submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). 
You may review the DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal 
Register published on January 17, 2008 (73 FR 3316; January 17, 2008). 
This information is also available at http://Docketinfo.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elaine Papp, Chief, Medical Programs 
Division, (202) 366-4001, or via email at fmcsamedical@dot.gov, or by 
letter FMCSA, Room W64-113, Department of Transportation, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Office hours are from 
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Under 49 U.S.C. 31315 and 31136(e), FMCSA may grant an exemption 
for a 2-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.'' The statutes also allow the 
Agency to renew exemptions at the end of the 2-year period. The 6 
individuals listed in this notice have recently requested an exemption 
from the epilepsy prohibition in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(8), which applies to 
drivers

[[Page 56099]]

who operate CMVs as defined in 49 CFR 390.5, in interstate commerce. 
Section 391.41(b)(8) states that a person is physically qualified to 
drive a commercial motor vehicle if that person has no established 
medical history or clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other 
condition which is likely to cause the loss of consciousness or any 
loss of ability to control a CMV.
    FMCSA provides medical advisory criteria for use by medical 
examiners in determining whether drivers with certain medical 
conditions should be certified to operate CMVs in intrastate commerce. 
The advisory criteria indicate that if an individual has had a sudden 
episode of a non-epileptic seizure or loss of consciousness of unknown 
cause which did not require anti-seizure medication, the decision 
whether that person's condition is likely to cause the loss of 
consciousness or loss of ability to control a CMV should be made on an 
individual basis by the medical examiner in consultation with the 
treating physician. Before certification is considered, it is suggested 
that a 6-month waiting period elapse from the time of the episode. 
Following the waiting period, it is suggested that the individual have 
a complete neurological examination. If the results of the examination 
are negative and anti-seizure medication is not required, then the 
driver may be qualified.
    In those individual cases where a driver had a seizure or an 
episode of loss of consciousness that resulted from a known medical 
condition (e.g., drug reaction, high temperature, acute infectious 
disease, dehydration, or acute metabolic disturbance), certification 
should be deferred until the driver has fully recovered from that 
condition, has no existing residual complications, and is not taking 
anti-seizure medication. Drivers who have a history of epilepsy/
seizures, off anti-seizure medication and seizure-free for 10 years, 
may be qualified to operate a CMV in interstate commerce. Interstate 
drivers with a history of a single unprovoked seizure may be qualified 
to drive a CMV in interstate commerce if seizure-free and off anti-
seizure medication for a 5-year period or more.

Submitting Comments

    You may submit your comments and material online or by fax, mail, 
or hand delivery, but please use only one of these means. FMCSA 
recommends that you include your name and a mailing address, an email 
address, or a phone number in the body of your document so that FMCSA 
can contact you if there are questions regarding your submission. To 
submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov and in the 
search box insert the docket number ``FMCSA-2014-0214'' and click the 
search button. When the new screen appears, click on the blue ``Comment 
Now!'' button on the right hand side of the page. On the new page, 
enter information required including the specific section of this 
document to which each comment applies, and provide a reason for each 
suggestion or recommendation. If you submit your comments by mail or 
hand delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ 
by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic filing. If you submit 
comments by mail and would like to know that they reached the facility, 
please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will 
consider all comments and material received during the comment period 
and may change this proposed rule based on your comments. FMCSA may 
issue a final rule at any time after the close of the comment period.

Viewing Comments and Documents

    To view comments, as well as any documents mentioned in this 
preamble, To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov and in the search box insert the docket number 
``FMCSA-2014-0214'' and click ``Search.'' Next, click ``Open Docket 
Folder'' and you will find all documents and comments related to the 
proposed rulemaking.

Summary of Applications

Michael G. Alimecco

    Mr. Alimecco is a 58 year-old driver in Pennsylvania. He has a 
history of seizures and has remained seizure free since 1974. He takes 
anti-seizure medication with the dosage and frequency remaining the 
same since 2003. If granted an exemption, he would like to drive a CMV. 
His physician states he is supportive of Mr. Alimecco receiving an 
exemption.

Michael L. Grant

    Mr. Grant is a 52 year-old driver in South Carolina. He has a 
history of seizures and has remained seizure free since 1995. He takes 
anti-seizure medication with the dosage and frequency remaining the 
same for over 2 years. If granted the exemption, he would like to drive 
a CMV. His physician states that he is supportive of Mr. Grant 
receiving an exemption.

Michael D. LaPlante

    Mr. LaPlante is a 29 year-old driver in Illinois. He has a history 
of epilepsy and has remained seizure free since 2011. He takes anti-
seizure medication with the dosage and frequency remaining the same 
since that time. If granted the exemption, he would like to drive a 
CMV. His physician states he is supportive of Mr. LaPlante receiving an 
exemption.

Jeffrey M. Phillips

    Mr. Phillips is a 45 year-old driver in South Carolina. He has a 
history of epilepsy and has remained seizure free since 1989. He takes 
anti-seizure medication with the dosage and frequency remaining the 
same since 1994. If granted the exemption, he would like to drive a 
CMV. His physician states he is supportive of Mr. Phillips receiving an 
exemption.

William L. Swann

    Mr. Swann is a 76 year-old driver in Maryland. He has a history of 
a seizure disorder and has remained seizure free since 2002. He takes 
anti-seizure medication with the dosage and frequency remaining the 
same since that time. If granted the exemption, he would like to drive 
a CMV. His physician states that he is supportive of Mr. Swann 
receiving an exemption.

James M. Zihlke

    Mr. Zihlke is a 31 year-old driver in Iowa. He has a history of a 
single seizure in December 2010. He has never taken anti-seizure 
medication. If granted the exemption, he would like to drive a CMV. His 
physician states that he is supportive of Mr. Zihlke receiving an 
exemption.

Request for Comments

    In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31315 and 31136(e), FMCSA requests 
public comment from all interested persons on the exemption 
applications described in this notice. We will consider all comments 
received before the close of business on the closing date indicated 
earlier in the notice.

    Issued On: September 12, 2014.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2014-22138 Filed 9-17-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P