The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has officially approved a five-year exemption regarding cargo securement.
In a notice published on Tuesday, Oct. 22 in the Federal Register, FMCSA announced its decision to renew an exemption requested by the Agricultural and Food Transporters Conference of American Trucking Associations.
The exemption allows alternative methods for the securement of agricultural commodities transported in wood and plastic boxes and bins and large fiberglass tubs, as well as hay, straw and cotton bales that are grouped into larger singular units. Motor carriers and commercial motor vehicles operating under this exemption must comply with all other applicable regulations.
FMCSA granted provisional approval of the exemption in June. With the official decision, the cargo securement exemption is scheduled to expire on April 15, 2029.
“As explained in the provisional renewal of exemption notice, the agency believes that granting the temporary exemption … will likely provide a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety achieved without the exemption,” FMCSA wrote.
Terms of the exemption include several reporting requirements. The Agricultural and Food Transporters Conference must provide reports involving any crashes by commercial motor vehicles operating under the exemption, as well as vehicle miles traveled and any information indicating a malfunction of the alternative cargo securement methods.
The agricultural group first applied for an exemption in 2015, stating that it would enhance safety because the alternative securement methods exceed existing standards.
In 2019, FMCSA granted a five-year exemption. Now, the agency has approved the exemption for another five years.
“FMCSA is not aware of any evidence showing the operation of the alternative securement methods allowed by the original exemption has resulted in any degradation in safety,” the agency wrote in the June notice. “Moreover, the information provided by the Agricultural and Food Transporters Conference in its renewal application supports the conclusion that these alternative securement methods maintain the requisite statutory level of safety.” LL
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