Over the past several months, the Medical Review Board (MRB) of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has been working on revising “Fitness for Duty” standards for Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) drivers. The Board has recommended changes to some of the wording on the standards relating to physical and mental fitness questions to better reflect a link between commercial driver health and overall safety to themselves and to the general public – the “Matrix” of an interconnected environment of health questions for CMV drivers. It should be noted that while the power of the MRB is to “recommend” regulations to FMCSA, most medical practitioners who perform D.O.T. physicals are inclined to follow the Board’s recommendations.

NEVADA MAKES CHANGES TO REGISTRATION PERMITS

As of July1, 2009, Commercial Motor Vehicle operators with a gross vehicle weight of 10,001 pounds or more without a valid Nevada registration, must obtain a 24-hour temporary registration trip permit prior to entering Nevada.  Penalties for failure to properly declare the CMV accurate weight could result in the operator having to re-register the vehicle at the gross or combined gross weight rating, incurring additional registration fees and fines starting at $500 for the first offense.  The full press release can be read at: http://www.dmvnv.com/pdfforms/mc-ab372-may09.pdf.

VIRGINIA D.O.T. REST AREA CLOSURES – UPDATE

The Virginia D.O.T. has proposed closing just 19 rest areas across the state rather than the 25 closings originally discussed. An additional 225 truck parking spaces will be added to the remaining locations. VA D.O.T. is also considering replacing the two-hour parking time limit at rest areas with a "no overnight parking" policy, and possibly seeking approval from Congress to commercialize the rest areas that remain open.  More information on the rest area closures can be found at:

http://www.vdot.virginia.gov/news/resources/Statewide/2_JC_3C_CTB_Services_051909.pdf.