The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is seeking public comment on a proposed rule that would require motor carriers operating in interstate commerce to have all vehicles display certification that all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards in effect at the time the vehicles were manufactured were met.
The rule states if the certification label is missing, the motor carrier must obtain, and a driver must present upon demand, a letter issued by the vehicle manufacturer stating the vehicle met all FMVSS when it was manufactured.
Truck manufacturers are required by the DOT to affix the certification labels to all new vehicles.
The proposed rule would address the National Transportation Safety Board’s concerns about the operation of CMVs that don’t display certification labels.
FMCSA said it believes this rule will have no impact on the majority of U.S. carriers. The agency said it would only be an issue if a carrier had trucks with missing certification labels, or if a company acquired a vehicle not manufactured for sale or use in the U.S. that had somehow been improperly imported.
FMCSA says in most cases with missing certification labels, the reason would be vehicle damage, deliberate removal or similar reasons. The agency doesn’t see, in most cases, missing labels would be because the trucks were not designed nor certified to be FMVSS-compliant.
To comment on the rule, visit www.regulations.gov and search Docket No. FMCSA-2014-0428, or click here.
