Notice2026-02522
Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Application for an Exemption From Grote Industries, LLC
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 9, 2026
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Abstract
FMCSA requests public comment on an application from Grote Industries, LLC (Grote) for an exemption from the requirement that exterior lighting devices on commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) be steady-burning. The exemption would allow motor carriers to operate CMVs equipped with auxiliary rear or side lamps that flash or strobe when controlled by Grote's Rear-End Collision Warning (RCW) system. FMCSA requests public comment on the applicant's request for exemption.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 26 (Monday, February 9, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 26 (Monday, February 9, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5798-5800]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-02522]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
[Docket No. FMCSA-2026-0100]
Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Application
for an Exemption From Grote Industries, LLC
AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Department
of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of application for exemption; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: FMCSA requests public comment on an application from Grote
Industries, LLC (Grote) for an exemption from the requirement that
exterior lighting devices on commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) be
steady-burning. The exemption would allow motor carriers to operate
CMVs equipped with auxiliary rear or side lamps that flash or strobe
when controlled by Grote's Rear-End Collision Warning (RCW) system.
FMCSA requests public comment on the applicant's request for exemption.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 11, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Federal Docket
Management System (FDMS) Number FMCSA-2026-0100 by any of the following
methods:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>. See the
Public Participation and Request for Comments section below for further
information.
[[Page 5799]]
<bullet> Mail: Dockets Operations, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Ground Floor,
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
<bullet> Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building, Ground Floor,
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
E.T., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
<bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.
Each submission must include the Agency name and the docket number
(FMCSA-2026-0100) for this notice. Note that DOT posts all comments
received without change to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>, including any personal
information included in a comment. Please see the Privacy Act heading
below.
Privacy Act: In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31315(b), DOT solicits
comments from the public to better inform its exemption process. DOT
posts these comments, including any personal information the commenter
provides, to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>, as described in the system of records
notice DOT/ALL-14 FDMS, which can be reviewed at <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/privacy">https://www.transportation.gov/privacy</a>. The comments are posted without edit
and are searchable by the name of the submitter.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Sutula, Chief, Vehicle and
Roadside Operations Division, Office of Carrier, Driver, and Vehicle
Safety, FMCSA, at (202)-961-1373, or by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e08481968984ce939594958c81a0848f94ce878f96"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7a1e1b0c131e54090f0e0f161b3a1e150e541d150c">[email protected]</span></a>.
If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket,
contact Dockets Operations at (202) 366-9826.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Public Participation and Request for Comments
FMCSA encourages you to participate by submitting comments and
related materials.
A. Submitting Comments
If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this
notice (FMCSA-2026-0100), indicate the specific section of this
document to which the comment applies, and provide a reason for
suggestions or recommendations. You may submit your comments and
material online or by fax, mail, or hand delivery, but please use only
one of these means. FMCSA recommends that you include your name and a
mailing address, an email address, or a phone number in the body of
your document so the Agency can contact you if it has questions
regarding your submission.
To submit your comment online, go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FMCSA-2026-0100/document">https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FMCSA-2026-0100/document</a>, click on this notice, click
``Comment,'' and type your comment into the text box on the following
screen.
If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them
in an unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for
copying and electronic filing.
FMCSA will consider all comments and material received during the
comment period. Comments received after the comment closing date will
be filed in the public docket and will be considered to the extent
practicable.
B. Confidential Business Information (CBI)
CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of
Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public disclosure.
If your comments responsive to the notice contain commercial or
financial information that is customarily treated as private, that you
actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to the
notice, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission that
constitutes CBI as ``PROPIN'' to indicate it contains proprietary
information. FMCSA will treat such marked submissions as confidential
under the Freedom of Information Act, and they will not be placed in
the public docket of the notice. Submissions containing CBI should be
sent to Brian Dahlin Chief, Regulatory Evaluation Division, Office of
Policy, FMCSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001 or
via email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3e5c4c575f501059105a5f565257507e5a514a10595148"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2f4d5d464e410148014b4e474346416f4b405b01484059">[email protected]</span></a>. At this time, you need not send a
duplicate hardcopy of your electronic CBI submissions to FMCSA
headquarters. Any comments FMCSA receives not specifically designated
as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this notice.
C. Viewing Comments and Documents
To view comments, as well as any documents mentioned in this
preamble as being available in the docket, go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>, insert FMCSA-2026-0100 in the keyword box, select
the document tab and choose the document to review. To view comments,
click this notice, then click ``Browse Comments.'' If you do not have
access to the internet, you may view the docket by visiting Docket
Operations on the ground floor of the DOT West Building, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
ET Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. To be sure someone
is there to help you, please call (202) 366-9317 or (202) 366-9826
before visiting Dockets Operations.
II. Legal Basis
FMCSA has authority under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315(b) to grant
exemptions from Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs).
FMCSA must publish a notice of each exemption request in the Federal
Register (49 CFR 381.315(a)). The Agency must provide the public an
opportunity to inspect the information relevant to the application,
including the applicant's safety analysis. The Agency must provide an
opportunity for public comment on the request.
The Agency reviews the application, safety analyses, and public
comments submitted and determines whether granting the exemption would
likely achieve a level of safety equivalent to, or greater than, the
level that would be achieved without the exemption, pursuant to the
standard set forth in 49 U.S.C. 31315(b)(2). The Agency must publish
its decision in the Federal Register (49 CFR 381.315(b)). If granted,
the notice will identify the regulatory provision from which the
applicant will be exempt, the effective period, and all terms and
conditions of the exemption (49 CFR 381.315(c)(1)). If the exemption is
denied, the notice will explain the reason for the denial (49 CFR
381.315(c)(2)). The exemption may be renewed (49 CFR 381.300(b)).
III. Applicant's Request
Grote, an Indiana-based manufacturer of commercial vehicle lighting
and safety equipment, has applied for an exemption from the
requirements of 49 CFR 393.25(e), which generally require exterior
lamps on CMVs to be steady-burning. Grote requests a five-year
exemption to allow motor carriers the use of one or more non-steady-
burning auxiliary lamps installed symmetrically about the vertical
centerline on the rear or sides of CMVs when used in conjunction with
Grote's RCW system.
Grote states that the RCW system uses rear-facing, long-range radar
to calculate time-to-collision (TTC) for vehicles approaching from
behind and activates auxiliary warning lamps when a collision risk
threshold is reached. The system activates a signal circuit when the
TTC is less than or equal to a specific safety threshold--typically
between 2.1 and 4.0 seconds--which represents the average time required
for a driver and vehicle to react to a hazard.
Under the request, when the RCW system detects an imminent risk,
the auxiliary lamps would either be (1) red
[[Page 5800]]
in color and flash 4-16 times within four seconds, or (2) amber in
color and function as an SAE J595 Class 3 or Class 2 strobe lamp for up
to four seconds. Following either initial sequence, the lamps burn
steady red for the remaining duration of the warning event as long as
the collision risk persists. Once the potential risk has subsided and
the TTC exceeds the safety threshold, the signal circuit is
deactivated, ending the warning event and turning off the auxiliary
lamps.
Grote asserts that similar forward collision warning technologies
have been shown by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to reduce rear-end
crashes and contends that the RCW system would provide comparable
safety benefits by reducing the frequency and severity of rear-end
collisions involving CMVs. Grote emphasizes that it is not seeking
relief from existing safety requirements, but rather permission to
install additional safety equipment beyond that required by the Federal
Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, and believes granting the exemption
would achieve a level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level
of safety achieved without the exemption.
A copy of Grote's application and supporting materials is available
for review in the docket for this notice.
IV. Request for Comments
In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31315(b), FMCSA requests public
comment from all interested persons on Grote's application for an
exemption from the requirements of 49 CFR 393.25(e).
All comments received before the close of business on the comment
closing date will be considered and will be available for examination
in the docket at the location listed under the ADDRESSES section of
this notice. Comments received after the comment closing date will be
filed in the public docket and may be considered to the extent
practicable. In addition to late comments, FMCSA will also continue to
file, in the public docket, relevant information that becomes available
after the comment closing date. Interested persons should continue to
examine the public docket for new material.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2026-02522 Filed 2-6-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P
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