Back in 2022, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rejected Intellistop’s request for an industry-wide exemption that would allow motor carriers to use the company’s flashing brake light system.
FMCSA called the request “too broad.” Instead, the agency has evaluated requests from motor carriers on an individual basis. Since then, FMCSA has granted exemptions to eight motor carriers – Brent Higgins Trucking, Casey’s Services Company, Coffeyville Resources Crude Transportation, DJS Fundraising, Encore Flooring and Building Products, Gemini Motor Transport, Meiborg Brothers and JM Bozeman Enterprises – that allow them to be equipped with the Intellistop module. Additionally, FMCSA has granted exemptions to Groendyke Transport and Grote Industries for similar devices.
That’s why Intellistop is taking another swing at an industry-wide exemption.
In a notice that was published in the Federal Register on April 28, Intellistop requested a five-year exemption that would allow all motor carriers under FMCSA’s jurisdiction to use Intellistop’s module. Instead of the agency needing to evaluate every individual request, the exemption would apply industry-wide.
“Intellistop respectfully requests that FMCSA reconsider its prior denial and grant a five-year exemption allowing use of the Intellistop brake-lamp modulation technology under conditions comparable to those applied in the recently extended Grote Industries auxiliary flashing brake-lamp exemption,” the company wrote in its petition for reconsideration. “Consistent with that precedent, Intellistop would support reasonable oversight provisions, including annual reporting of participating motor carrier USDOT numbers and consultation with FMCSA upon request.”
The Intellistop module is designed to pulse the required rear clearance, identification and brake lamps from a lower-level lighting intensity to a higher-level lighting intensity four times within two seconds when the brakes are applied, then return the lights to a steady-burning state while the brakes remain engaged.
How to comment
FMCSA will accept comments on Intellistop’s exemption request through May 28. To submit a comment, click here or go to Regulations.gov and enter FMCSA-2026-1156-0002. LL
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