§§383.23, 383.77, and 383.79 November 27, 2018, this final rule allows, but does not require, State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs) to waive requirements for the commercial learner's permit (CLP) knowledge test for certain individuals who are, or were, regularly employed within the last year in a military position that requires, or required, the operation of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV). This rule includes the option for an SDLA to waive the tests required for a passenger carrier (P) endorsement, tank vehicle (N) endorsement, or hazardous material (H) endorsement, with proof of training and experience.

§§380.603, 382.107, 390.5, 390.5T, 391.23, 395.2, 397.73, and 397.103 (amended) Effective September 27, 2018, the FMCSA amended its regulations by making technical corrections throughout the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. The Agency made minor changes to correct inadvertent errors and omissions, remove or update obsolete references, and improve the clarity and consistency of certain regulatory provisions.

§§391.41, 391.45, 391.64, and Appendix A to Part 391 (revised) plus §391.46 (added)FMCSA revised its regulations to permit individuals with a stable insulin regimen and properly controlled insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) to be qualified to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. Previously, ITDM individuals were prohibited from driving CMVs in interstate commerce unless they obtained an exemption from FMCSA. This rule enables a certified medical examiner (ME) to grant an ITDM individual a Medical Examiner's Certificate (MEC), MCSA-5876, for up to a maximum of 12 months. To do so, the treating clinician (TC), the healthcare professional who manages, and prescribes insulin for, the treatment of the individual's diabetes, provides the Insulin-Treated Diabetes Mellitus Assessment Form (ITDM Assessment Form), MCSA-5870, to the certified ME indicating that the individual maintains a stable insulin regimen and proper control of his or her diabetes. The certified ME then determines that the individual meets FMCSA's physical qualification standards and can operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

§§383.71, 383.73, 391.23, 391.41, 391.43, 391.45, 391.51 (amended) FMCSA amended its regulations to delay the compliance date from June 22, 2018, to June 22, 2021, for several provisions of its April 23, 2015 Medical Examiner's Certification Integration final rule. This action is being taken to provide FMCSA additional time to complete certain information technology (IT) system development tasks for its National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (National Registry) and provide the State Driver's Licensing Agencies (SDLAs) sufficient time to make the necessary IT programming changes after upgrades to the National Registry.

§§390.5, 390.5T, 390.101, 390.103, 390.109, 390.111, 390.113, 390.115, and 391.43 (amended or revised) plus §§390.123, 390.125, 390.127, 390.129, 390.131, 390.133, 390.135 (added) FMCSA amended the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to establish an alternative process for qualified advanced practice nurses, doctors of chiropractic, doctors of medicine, doctors of osteopathy, physician assistants, and other medical professionals who are employed in the VA and are licensed, certified, or registered in a State to perform physical examinations (qualified VA examiners) to be listed on the Agency's National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners, as required by the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act and the Jobs for Our Heroes Act.

After successful completion of online training and testing developed by FMCSA, these qualified VA examiners will become certified VA medical examiners who can perform medical examinations of, and issue Medical Examiner's Certificates to, commercial motor vehicle operators who are military veterans enrolled in the VA healthcare system. This rule will reduce the costs for qualified VA examiners to be listed on the National Registry.

§395.1 - Regulatory Guidance (updated) FMCSA announced regulatory guidance to clarify the applicability of the "Agricultural commodity" exception in the "Hours of Service (HOS) of Drivers" regulations. This regulatory guidance clarifies the exception with regard to: drivers operating unladen vehicles traveling either to pick up an agricultural commodity or returning from a delivery point; drivers engaged in trips beyond 150 air-miles from the source of the agricultural commodity; determining the "source" of agricultural commodities under the exemptions; and how the exception applies when agricultural commodities are loaded at multiple sources during a trip.

This regulatory guidance is issued to ensure consistent understanding and application of the exception by motor carriers and State officials enforcing HOS rules identical to or compatible with FMCSA's requirements.

§395.8 - Regulatory Guidance (updated) On December 19, 2017, FMCSA proposed revisions to the regulatory guidance concerning driving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) for personal use while off-duty, referred to as "personal conveyance." Over 380 comments were received in response to the draft guidance. This revised guidance addresses issues raised by commenters. This guidance applies to all CMV drivers required to record their hours of service (HOS) who are permitted by their carrier to use the vehicle for personal use.

§§390.5, 390.5T, 395.15 (revised) and §390.31 - Regulatory Guidance (rescinded) FMCSA corrected the electronic documents and signatures final rule published on April 16, 2018 that amended FMCSA regulations to allow the use of electronic records and signatures to satisfy FMCSA's regulatory requirements. This document corrects an amendatory instruction, removes two extra commas at the end of two phrases, and adds "of this section" to a cross reference in a paragraph. Finally, FMCSA rescinds its January 4, 2011, interpretations and regulatory guidance.

§§380.107, 380.109, 380.201, 380.203, 380.205, 380.303, 380.605, 380.713, 380 Appendix A, 380 Appendix B, 382.403, 383.23, 383.5, 383.73, 387.3, 387.7, 387.33, 387.33T, 387.301, 387.301T, 387.303, 387.303T, 387.313, 390.3, 390.3T, 390.5, 390.5T, 390.15, 390.19T, 390.27, 390.115, 393.60, 395.13, 395 Appendix A to Subpart B, 396.17, 396.23, 397.73, 397.103, and 398.8 (amended or revised) FMCSA amended its regulations by making technical corrections throughout the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. The Agency made minor changes to correct inadvertent errors and omissions, remove or update obsolete references, ensure conformity with Office of the Federal Register style guidelines, and improve the clarity and consistency of certain regulatory provisions.

§§380.715, 382.601, 387.7, 387.15, 387.31, 387.39, 387.313T, 387.413T, 390.5, 390.5T, 390.7, 390.31, 390.32, 391.55, 395.8, 395.15, 396.11, 396.12, 398.3 (amended or revised) plus §390.32 (added) FMCSA updated its regulations to allow the use of electronic records and signatures to satisfy FMCSA's regulatory requirements.

These amendments permit the use of electronic methods to generate, certify, sign, maintain, or exchange records so long as the documents accurately reflect the required information and can be used for their intended purpose. This rule applies only to those documents that FMCSA's regulations obligate entities or individuals to retain; it does not apply to forms or other documents that must be submitted directly to FMCSA unless there are already procedures in place in the regulations for electronic submission to FMCSA. This rule partially implements the Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA) and the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-SIGN).