Amended rules proposed for truck cargoes
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has proposed amendments to rules requiring that cargo inside commercial motor vehicles be secured 'in a manner that prevents it from shifting to such an extent that the vehicle's stability or maneuverability is adversely affected.'
The proposed regulations would also provide improved guidance for drivers of commercial motor vehicles 'who are often responsible for securing articles of cargo against movement,' the FMCSA said in a statement.
They would also ensure that cargo in such vehicles would not lurch forward into the driver's compartment.
The first versions of these rules were published by FMCSA on Sept. 27, 2002. The changes have come about after FMCSA considered petitions filed by the American Trucking Associations, Georgia-Pacific Corp., the Washington Log Truckers Conference, the Timber Producers Association of Michigan and Wisconsin, and other groups.
For more information about the proposed amendments, contact Larry W. Minor, chief of the vehicle and roadside operations division at FMCSA, (202)-366-4009. Public comments are due by Aug. 8, and may be submitted electronically by following instructions at http://dms.dot.gov.