Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Certification and Labeling Requirements for Rear Impact Protection Guards

FMCSA amends the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) to rescind the requirement that the rear impact guard be permanently marked or labeled with a certification from the impact guard manufacturer as required by the applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) promulgated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The certification label or marking provides motor carriers purchasing new trailers or new impact guards to replace damaged devices with a means to determine whether the equipment is certified as meeting the FMVSS. However, the labeling or marking requirement has proven problematic for motor carriers when the label or marking becomes illegible or wears off during the service life of the trailer or guard. This final rule eliminates an unintended regulatory burden on motor carriers without compromising safety, as it does not affect the applicable FMVSS. The final rule also rescinds a guidance document pertaining to illegible, incomplete, or missing rear impact guard certification labels.