Notice2026-03168
Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Application for Exemption From Truck-Lite Co., 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 18, 2026
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Abstract
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requests public comment on an application for exemption submitted by Truck-Lite Co., LLC (Truck-Lite) to allow motor carriers to install auxiliary amber brake-activated pulsating warning lamps on the rear of commercial trucks and trailers in addition to the steady-burning brake lamps required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 32 (Wednesday, February 18, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 18, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7621-7623]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-03168]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
[Docket No. FMCSA-2026-0199]
Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Application
for Exemption From Truck-Lite Co., 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: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
requests public comment on an application for exemption submitted by
Truck-Lite Co., LLC (Truck-Lite) to allow motor carriers to install
auxiliary amber brake-activated pulsating warning lamps on the rear of
commercial trucks and trailers in addition to the steady-burning brake
lamps required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations
(FMCSRs).
DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 20, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Docket Number FMCSA-
2026-0199 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.
<bullet> Mail: Dockets Operations, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, W58-213, Washington, DC
20590-0001.
<bullet> Hand Delivery or Courier: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, W58-
213, Washington, DC 20590-0001, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
<bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.
Each submission must include the Agency name and the docket number
(FMCSA-2026-0199) 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 (Federal Docket Management System (FDMS)),
which can be reviewed at <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/privacy/privacy-act-system-records-notices">https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/privacy/privacy-act-system-records-notices</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; (202) 961-1373, or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#35787665666375515a411b525a43"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7a37392a292c3a1e150e541d150c">[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-2026-0199), indicate the specific section of this
document to which your comment applies, and provide a reason for your
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
[[Page 7622]]
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-2026-0199/document">https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FMCSA-2026-0199/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#b0d2c2d9d1de9ed79ed4d1d8dcd9def0d4dfc49ed7dfc6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1674647f777838713872777e7a7f785672796238717960">[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 any documents mentioned as being available in the docket,
go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FMCSA-2026-0199/document">https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FMCSA-2026-0199/document</a> 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 online by visiting Dockets Operations
in room W58-213 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 the 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 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)(1). 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
Current Regulatory Requirements
FMCSA requires in 49 CFR 393.25(e) that all exterior lamps (both
required lamps and any additional lamps) shall be steady-burning with
the exception of turn signal lamps; hazard warning signal lamps; school
bus warning lamps; amber warning lamps or flashing warning lamps on tow
trucks and commercial motor vehicles transporting oversized loads; and
warning lamps on emergency and service vehicles authorized by State or
local authorities.
Applicant's Request
Truck-Lite has applied for an exemption from Sec. 393.25(e) to
allow motor carriers to continue to operate \1\ CMVs equipped with
Truck-Lite or ECCO branded auxiliary amber brake-activated pulsating
warning lamps on the rear of commercial trucks and trailers. The
subject auxiliary lamp operates as a Class II amber strobe that
pulsates (up to four seconds) with each application of the service
brake and then transitions to a steady burning red signal; the
auxiliary lamps remain off when the brake circuit is inactive. These
auxiliary lamps would be used in addition to the steady-burning brake
lamps required by the FMCSRs.
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\1\ Motor carriers were previously able to equip and operate
CMVs with Truck-Lite's brake-activated, pulsating auxiliary lamps
under an exemption that expired on December 2, 2025. See Docket No.
FMCSA-2020-0122.
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Truck Lite cites FMCSA research, FMCSA Report No. FMCSA-RRT-13-009
(Apr. 2014) to support the potential safety benefits of using the
Truck-Lite brake-activated, pulsating auxiliary lamps.
Truck-Lite notes that FMCSA has previously granted temporary
exemptions for similar brake-activated, pulsating auxiliary lamps
(e.g., Docket Nos. FMCSA-2020-0122; FMCSA-2019-0260; FMCSA-2018-0223),
and that field experience and docketed operator reports for lamps
operating under those exemptions show decreases in rear-end events and
otherwise support a finding that such lamps provide an equivalent or
greater level of safety compared to vehicles without the lamps.
Truck-Lite states the subject lamps meet the lamp specifications,
performance characteristics, and mounting location requirements
described in the prior exemption in Docket No. FMCSA-2020-0122 (which
expired in December 2025), and are designed to pulsate in amber for up
to four seconds before transitioning to steady red. ECCO (a sister
company of Truck-Lite) intends to develop a similar lamp that will meet
the same specifications. Accordingly, Truck-Lite requests that the
exemption apply to both Truck-Lite and ECCO lamps as manufactured to
the specifications stated in the prior exemption.
Truck-Lite proposes the exemption be conditioned as appropriate to
preserve safety and monitoring, including but not limited to measures
similar to prior exemptions. Examples include requiring that the
subject auxiliary lamps be installed in addition to, and not as a
replacement for, the required steady-burning brake lamps; requiring
manufacturers or motor carriers deploying exempted lamps to maintain
records of vehicles equipped with the subject lamps and to provide
periodic reports to FMCSA on field incidents, warranty claims, and any
safety-related complaints or recalls; and requiring conspicuous owner
or operator information indicating the presence and operating
characteristics of the auxiliary pulsating lamps.
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A copy of Truck-Lite's application for exemption, and all
supporting materials, are 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 Truck-Lite's application for a
5-year exemption from 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 Viewing Comments and Documents 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. 2026-03168 Filed 2-17-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P
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