Notice2026-17869
Notice of Petition for Waiver of Compliance
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
September 1, 2026
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Railroad Administration
Abstract
This document provides the public notice that Union Pacific Railroad Company (UPRR) petitioned FRA for relief from certain regulations concerning inspections performed by qualified mechanical inspectors (QMIs).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 168 (Tuesday, September 1, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 168 (Tuesday, September 1, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56281-56282]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-17869]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA-2026-1420]
Notice of Petition for Waiver of Compliance
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This document provides the public notice that Union Pacific
Railroad Company (UPRR) petitioned FRA for relief from certain
regulations concerning inspections performed by qualified mechanical
inspectors (QMIs).
DATES: FRA must receive comments on the petition by November 2, 2026.
FRA will consider comments received after that date to the extent
practicable.
ADDRESSES:
Comments: Comments related to this docket may be submitted by going
to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> and following the online instructions
for submitting comments.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and
docket number. All comments received will be posted without change to
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>; this includes any personal information.
Please see the Privacy Act heading in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section of this document for Privacy Act information related to any
submitted comments or materials.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> and follow the
online instructions for accessing the docket.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caleb Rogers, Railroad Safety
Specialist, FRA Motive Power & Equipment Division, telephone: 202-493-
6322, email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1172707d74733f637e7674636251757e653f767e67"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="84e7e5e8e1e6aaf6ebe3e1f6f7c4e0ebf0aae3ebf2">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR), this document provides the public notice that by
letter dated June 9, 2026, UPRR petitioned FRA for a waiver of
compliance from certain provisions of the Federal railroad safety
regulations contained at 49 CFR part 229 (Railroad Locomotive Safety
Standards). FRA assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2026-1420.
Specifically, UPRR seeks relief from Sec. 229.23(b)(2), Periodic
inspection: general, related to locomotives equipped with advanced
microprocessor-controlled systems. UPRR requests a waiver from the
requirement that the daily inspection conducted once every 33 days on a
microprocessor-equipped locomotive be performed by a QMI, which, as
defined under Sec. 229.5, Definitions, must have a primary
responsibility that includes work generally consistent with locomotive
troubleshooting, inspection, testing, maintenance, and repair of
locomotives. As a result, UPRR proposes to remove the requirement for a
QMI to perform the referenced periodic inspection.
In support of its request, UPRR states that it has collected data
on daily inspections performed by QMIs and non-QMIs and found ``no
statistical difference between the quality of daily inspections.'' UPRR
explains that the relief ``will improve overall safety by reducing
additional walking, getting [on and off] equipment, as well as
improving the overall inspection quality by cross[-]training employees
in multiple aspects of multiple interconnected mechanical systems.''
A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications
concerning the petition, is available for review online at
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>.
Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings
by submitting written views, data, or comments. FRA does not anticipate
scheduling a public hearing in connection with these proceedings since
the facts do not appear to warrant a hearing. If any interested party
desires an opportunity for oral comment and a public hearing, they
should notify FRA, in writing, before the end of the comment period and
specify the basis for their request.
Communications received by November 2, 2026 will be considered by
FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date
will be considered if practicable.
Privacy Act
Anyone can search the electronic form of any written communications
and comments received into any of FRA's dockets by the name of the
individual submitting the comment (or signing the document, if
submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.).
Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the public to inform
its processes. DOT posts these comments, without edit, 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>. See also https:/
/www.regulations.gov/
[[Page 56282]]
privacy-notice for the privacy notice of <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>.
Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2026-17869 Filed 8-31-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
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