DOT

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced in the Federal Register (25 August 2011) that it is considering whether changes are needed to the regulations governing the safety of gas transmission pipelines. In particular, PHMSA is considering whether integrity management (IM) requirements should be changed, including adding more prescriptive language in some areas, and whether other issues related to system integrity should be addressed by strengthening or expanding non-IM requirements.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the 12 August 2011 Federal Register.  PHMSA in coordination with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), is proposing to amend requirements in the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) governing the transportation of Class 7 (radioactive) materials based on recent changes contained in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) publication ‘‘Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material, 2009 Edition, IAEA Safety Standards Series No.

In the 12 August 2011 Federal Register, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)  amended its hours of service recordkeeping regulations, to add substantive hours of service regulations, including maximum on-duty periods, minimum off-duty periods, and other limitations, for train employees (e.g., locomotive engineers and conductors) providing commuter and intercity rail passenger transportation.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a final rule in the July 20, 2011 Federal Register that amends the Hazardous Materials Regulations.  The final rule makes miscellaneous amendments to update and clarify certain regulatory requirements. These amendments are intended to: promote safer transportation practices; eliminate unnecessary regulatory requirements; finalize outstanding petitions for rulemaking; facilitate international commerce; and simplify the regulations.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported in their July 2011 Traffic Safety Facts that their High- Visibility Enforcement model programs, aimed at curbing distracted driving, have been successful. 

NHTSA initiated distracted driving demonstration programs in two communities to test whether a high-visibility enforcement (HVE) model could reduce two specific instances of distracted driving—talking or texting using a hand-held cell phone. The HVE model combines:

In a July 8, 2011 Federal Register notice of proposed rulemaking, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) proposed to amend the physical qualifications for drivers and the instructions for the medical examination report to clarify that drivers may not use Schedule I drugs and be qualified to drive commercial motor vehicles under any circumstances. The proposal also harmonizes FMCSA’s provisions regarding pre-employment and return-to-duty test refusals with corresponding Department of Transportation (DOT) - wide provisions.