The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration submitted a proposal last week that would permanently squash a rear impact guard labeling issue by ending manufacturing certification sticker requirements.
Worn-out and illegible stickers created headaches based on the standard, trucking advocates said, and the agency gave guidance in December that missing labels or those with a faulty appearance were not regulatory violations.
Rear impact guards would still need to meet safety standards, but removing the labeling requirement helps the administration meet a policy goal of deregulation.
“This proposal would eliminate an unintended regulatory burden on motor carriers without compromising safety, as this NPRM would not affect the applicable” Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, the government said in the notice of proposed rulemaking while also noting the administration’s deregulation goal.
Comments on the notice of proposed rulemaking can be submitted through July 29.
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s International Roadcheck took place last month, but there should not have been many, if any, violations related to labels based on the FMCSA guidance, noted Jeremy Disbrow, a roadside inspection specialist for the CVSA.
“It looks like FMCSA may remove the labeling portion of the regulation soon, which means we can finally rescind the inspection guidance if that occurs,” Disbrow said in an email.
