Last chance to comment on proposed vision standards changes for CMVs

There are only a few days left to make your thoughts known on proposed changes to vision standards for commercial motor vehicle drivers with monocular vision.

The public has through Thursday, Sept. 23, to weigh in on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Medical Review Board report on proposed alternative vision standards.

In May, FMCSA asked its medical board to weigh in on the potential changes. The board responded by recommending the agency increase the current field of vision requirements from 70 degrees to 120 degrees.

In August, the agency gave the public a chance to weigh in on the medical board’s recommendation, with a 30-day comment period.

Comments can be made here, or at Regulations.gov, using the Docket FMCSA-2019-0049-0118.

Background

The move to update the current vision standards for commercial drivers to allow individuals who have a vision impairment in one eye will allow safe, experienced drivers to stay on the road began earlier this year.

In January, FMCSA issued a proposal that would eliminate waiting periods and processing delays for individuals who can’t meet the current distant visual acuity or field of vision standards in one eye. The proposal would amend regulations to allow individuals who cannot meet either the current distant visual acuity or field of vision standard, or both, in one eye to be physically qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce.

That proposal would require drivers to complete a road test before being allowed on the road unless they have three years of intrastate or other qualifying driving experience with the vision deficiency. To qualify, the driver must have at least 20/40 vision in the other eye with or without corrective lenses and a field of vision of at least 70 degrees in the horizontal meridian.

That comment period closed on March 15, with the agency receiving 69 comments.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association filed comments in support of changing the vision standards.

The Association continues to support FMCSA’s original call for a 70-degree field of vision, rather than the medical board’s recommendation. OOIDA hopes a final rule will be published by the end of 2021. LL