Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Retroreflective Sheeting on Semitrailers and Trailers

FMCSA proposes to rescind the requirements for retroreflective sheeting on semitrailers and trailers manufactured prior to December 1, 1993, which is the compliance date for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) conspicuity rules applicable to trailer manufacturers. The retrofitting requirements were adopted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on March 31, 1999, and require that motor carriers engaged in interstate commerce install retroreflective tape or reflex reflectors on the sides and rear of semitrailers and trailers that were manufactured prior to December 1, 1993, have an overall width of 2,032 mm (80 inches) or more, and a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kg (10,001 pounds) or more. With the passage of more than 30 years since the NHTSA requirements were implemented, FMCSA believes the vast majority of trailers currently in use on the Nation's highways were manufactured after 1993 so the retrofitting rule is no longer necessary. This proposal would eliminate obsolete regulatory text without compromising safety.