Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Diabetes

Larry W. Minor
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
27 April 2018

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 82 (Friday, April 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18647-18648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08910]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2018-0027]


Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Diabetes

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

ACTION: Notice of denials.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its decision to deny applications from 17 
individuals who requested an exemption from the Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) prohibiting persons with insulin-treated 
diabetes mellitus (ITDM) from operating a commercial motor vehicle 
(CMV) in interstate commerce.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Christine A. Hydock, Chief, 
Medical Programs Division, (202) 366-4001, fmcsamedical@dot.gov, FMCSA, 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W64-224, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001. Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., 
e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. If you have 
questions regarding viewing or submitting material to the docket, 
contact Docket Services, telephone (202) 366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Electronic Access

    You may see all the comments online through the Federal Document 
Management System (FDMS) at: http://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments, go to http://www.regulations.gov and/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., e.t., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.
    Privacy Act: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits 
comments from the public to better inform its rulemaking process. DOT 
posts these comments, without edit, including any personal information 
the commenter provides, to http://www.regulations.gov, as described in 
the system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed 
at http://www.dot.gov/privacy.

II. Background

    FMCSA received applications from 17 individuals who requested an 
exemption from the FMCSRs prohibiting persons with ITDM from operating 
a CMV in interstate commerce.
    FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility of these applicants and 
concluded that granting these exemptions would not provide a level of 
safety that would be equivalent to or greater than, the level of safety 
that would be obtained by complying with the regulation 49 CFR 
391.41(b)(3).

III. Basis for Exemption Determination

    Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, FMCSA may grant an exemption if 
it finds such an exemption would likely achieve a level of safety that 
is equivalent to, or greater than, the level that would be achieved 
absent such an exemption.
    The Agency's decision regarding these exemption applications is 
based on the eligibility criteria, the terms and conditions for Federal 
exemptions, and an individualized assessment of each applicant's 
medical information provided by the applicant.

IV. Conclusion

    The Agency has determined that these applicants do not satisfy the 
criteria eligibility or meet the terms and conditions of the Federal 
exemption and granting these exemptions would not

[[Page 18648]]

provide a level of safety that would be equivalent to or greater than, 
the level of safety that would be obtained by complying with the 
regulation 49 CFR 391.41(b)(3). Therefore, the 17 applicants in this 
notice have been denied exemptions from the physical qualification 
standards in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(3).
    Each applicant has, prior to this notice, received a letter of 
final disposition regarding his/her exemption request. Those decision 
letters fully outlined the basis for the denial and constitutes final 
action by the Agency. This notice summarizes the Agency's recent 
denials as required under 49 U.S.C. 31315(b)(4) by periodically 
publishing names and reasons for denial.
    The following six applicants have had more than one hypoglycemic 
episode requiring hospitalization or the assistance of others, or has 
had one such episode but has not had one year of stability following 
the episode:

Michael W. Boyll (IN)
Robert T. Mitchell (CA)
Todd E. Bakner (PA)
Donald J. Glass (AR)
Cameron C. Kenyon (WA)
Mark E. Jordan (IN)

    The following two applicants had other medical conditions making 
the applicant otherwise unqualified under the Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Regulations: Rodney Purcell (NY); Bruce A. Hammond (GA).
    The following seven applicants did not have endocrinologists 
willing to make statements that they are able to operate CMVs from a 
diabetes standpoint:

John W. Ringbloom (PA)
Travis L. Reese (MA)
Ronald J. Marchewka (PA)
Gregory W. Bell (NJ)
David W. DeGraw (NJ)
John A. Bright (PA)
Dennis F. Comp (PA)

    The following applicant, Peter E. Halter (NJ), is unable or has not 
demonstrated willingness to properly monitor and manage his diabetes, 
whether by a personal decision or medical inability.
    The following applicant, Gerald D. Tower, Jr. (MI), has peripheral 
neuropathy or circulatory insufficiency of the extremities likely to 
interfere with the ability to operate a CMV.

     Issued on: April 23, 2018.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2018-08910 Filed 4-26-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P