Transportation 27

Most provisions of the DOT Regulations on commercial vehicle safety have been inapplicable to interstate commercial passenger vehicles with capacity between 9 and 15 passengers (including the driver) that operated only within 75 miles of their base location. The FMCSA has now amended these DOT Regulations to require, effective June 1, 2010, that such operations comply with the most of the commercial vehicle safety requirements, including vehicle identification, driver qualification requirements, prohibitions against use of alcohol, drugs and other substances, vehicle inspection, repair, and maintenance, and hours of service regulations. The FMCSA noted it expects that most, if not all, such operators will be covered by the short-haul provisions of the hours of service regulations. The commercial driver's license and controlled substances and alcohol testing requirements will not apply to these operations.

The FMCSA stated this action is required by the SAFETEA-LU legislation enacted in 2005. Its announcement appeared at 75 Fed. Reg. 4996 (Feb. 1, 2010).