NASDPTS - News

NHTSA Final Rule - Child Restraint Systems

December 05, 2023 10:15 AM | Tammy Mortier (Administrator)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a Final Rule on Child Restraint Systems which amends the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) regarding child restraint systems. The amendments, mandatory in one year, modernize the standard by, among other things, updating CRS owner registration program requirements, labeling requirements on correctly using child restraints, requirements for add-on school bus- specific child restraint systems, and provisions for NHTSA’s use of test dummies in NHTSA compliance tests. Amendments mandatory in three years include adding a new FMVSS that updates to standard seat assemblies on which NHTSA tests child restraint systems for compliance with frontal crash performance requirements.

The Final Rule is effective on February 5, 2024. The compliance date for the amendments to FMVSS No. 213 is December 5, 2024. The compliance date for meeting FMVSS No. 213b is December 5, 2026. Optional early compliance with the standards is permitted.

Click Here for the Final Rule.

NHTSA Final Rule - Bus Rollover Structural Integrity

November 13, 2023 8:58 AM | Tammy Mortier (Administrator)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a Final Rule granting parts of the petitions for reconsideration of the December 29, 2021, Final Rule establishing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 227, “Bus Rollover Structural Integrity.” This standard is designed to enhance the rollover structural integrity and reduce the likelihood of ejection from over-the-road buses (motorcoaches), other vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 26,000 pounds. School buses are excluded from this requirement. The compliance date for this Final Rule is December 30, 2024.

Click here for the link to the Final Rule.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Recall: Child Seat

November 13, 2023 8:57 AM | Tammy Mortier (Administrator)

NHTSA Recall ID Number: 23C005

Synopsis: Evenflo Company, Inc. (Evenflo) is recalling one Titan 65 child seat. The child seat is missing the warning labels. As such, this child seat fails to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 213, "Child Restraint Systems." A child seat missing warning labels will not inform the owner of critical safety information, which can increase the risk of injury for the child seat occupant. The child seat has been returned to the manufacturer to be destroyed, and therefore, no owner notification letter will be sent. Owners may contact Evenflo customer service at 1-800-233-5921.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Announcement: USDOT Proposes Updated Fuel Economy Standards to Strengthen Energy Security

July 28, 2023 4:04 PM | Tammy Mortier (Administrator)

July 28, 2023
Contact: NHTSA Public Affairs
Email: NHTSAmedia@dot.gov
Phone: (202) 366-9550

USDOT Proposes Updated Fuel Economy Standards to Strengthen Energy Security, Save Americans Hundreds of Dollars at the Gas Pump

Proposal kicks off public comment period and engagement with stakeholders on how to make cars and light trucks more fuel efficient, with the average light-duty vehicle estimated to reach 58 miles per gallon by 2032

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today issued a proposal to update fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks. A 60-day public comment period will begin after the proposal is published in the Federal Register.

NHTSA will engage with a broad set of stakeholders during this period, including consumers, unions, automakers, states, environmental groups and others. The proposal would also drive fuel efficiency improvements for heavy-duty pickup trucks and work vans.

If finalized as proposed, the updated standards would save Americans hundreds of dollars at the pump, all while making America more energy secure and less reliant on foreign oil. NHTSA estimates that the combined benefits of its proposal exceed costs by more than $18 billion.

“Better vehicle fuel efficiency means more money in Americans’ pockets and stronger energy security for the entire nation,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.

NHTSA’s proposed fuel economy standards complement and align with the Environmental Protection Agency’s recently proposed emissions standards for similar vehicle fleets. NHTSA will coordinate with the EPA to optimize the effectiveness of its standards while minimizing compliance costs, consistent with applicable statutory factors. With the release of today’s proposal, NHTSA invites comments from all stakeholders on how this goal can be achieved.

The proposed rule sets targets that are consistent with Congress’ direction to conserve fuel and promote American energy independence and American auto manufacturing, while providing flexibility to industry on how to achieve those targets. Though NHTSA does not take electric and other alternative fuels into account in setting the standards, manufacturers may use all available technologies – including advanced internal combustion engines, hybrid technologies and electric vehicles – for compliance.

The new proposal also supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to cutting costs for Americans and reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution in communities near freeways and other heavily trafficked roads, which are disproportionately low-income communities of color. Since the lowest-income households spend nearly 20% of income on transportation fuels, which is three times the average U.S. household, this proposal is consistent with the Administration’s commitment to advancing environmental justice.

“CAFE standards have driven the auto industry to innovate in improving fuel economy in ways that benefit our nation and all Americans,” NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson said. “The new standards we’re proposing today would advance our energy security, reduce harmful emissions, and save families and business owners money at the pump. That’s good news for everyone.”

As one of the range of options on which the agency is taking public comment, the preferred alternative in NHTSA’s proposal includes a 2% per year improvement in fuel efficiency for passenger cars, and a 4% per year improvement for light trucks, beginning in model year 2027 and ramping up through model year 2032, potentially reaching an average fleet fuel economy of 58 miles per gallon by 2032.

It also includes a 10% improvement per year for commercial pickup trucks and work vans (with gross vehicle weight ratings of more than 8,500 pounds and less than 14,001 pounds) beginning in model year 2030 and ramping up through model year 2035.

If finalized as proposed, this alternative would:

Save consumers more than $50 billion on fuel over the vehicles’ lifetimes.
Reduce our dependence on oil by saving more than 88 billion gallons of gasoline through 2050.
Prevent more than 900 million tons of CO₂ emissions – the equivalent of taking more than 233 million vehicles off the road from 2022 through 2050.

The proposal also models a range of additional alternatives. NHTSA requests comment on the full range of standards from the no-action alternative to the most stringent alternative modeled, including comment on combinations of standards that may not be explicitly identified in the proposal.

You can read the proposal here. For more information, please see NHTSA’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy page.

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NHTSA and FMCSA Proposed Automatic Emergency Breaking Systems in Heavy Vehicles

July 06, 2023 8:37 AM | Tammy Mortier (Administrator)

The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Automatic Emergency Breaking Systems in Heavy Vehicles was posted in today’s Federal Register. Comments are due by September 5, 2023.

Click Here to review the notice.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Recall: Car Seat

May 26, 2023 9:55 AM | Tammy Mortier (Administrator)

NHTSA Recall ID Number: 23C004

Synopsis: Baby Trend, Inc. (Baby Trend) is recalling certain Hybrid 3-in-1 Combination Booster Seat-Desert Blue child seats. The latch assembly webbing that secures the child restraint system to the lower anchorages may fray, which can reduce the strength of the webbing and fail to properly restrain a child in a crash. As such, these child seats fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 213, "Child Restraint Systems," and 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies." A child seat that fails to properly restrain a child increases the risk of injury in a crash. Baby Trend, Inc. will mail owners a replacement latch assembly webbing and installation instructions, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 30, 2023. Owners may contact Baby Trend customer service at 1-800-328-7363.

FMCSA Issues Final Rule on Oral Fluid Testing

May 02, 2023 9:17 AM | Tammy Mortier (Administrator)

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released a Final Rule today amending the U.S. Department of Transportation’s regulated industry drug testing program to include oral fluid testing. This additional methodology for drug testing will give employers a choice and provide a less intrusive means of achieving the safety goals of the program. In order for an employer to implement oral fluid testing under the Department’s regulation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will need to certify at least two laboratories for oral fluid testing, which has not yet been done. The final rule includes other provisions to update the Department’s regulation and to harmonize, as needed, with the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs using Oral Fluid established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This Final Rule is effective on June 1, 2023.

Here's a link to the rule: 2023-08041.pdf (govinfo.gov).

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $400 Million Grant Program to Fund Clean School Buses that Reduce Emissions and Protect Children’s Health

April 24, 2023 1:46 PM | Tammy Mortier (Administrator)

Click Here to View the Press Release

To learn more about the clean school bus grant program, applicant eligibility, selection process, and informational webinar dates, visit www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus.

Key Messages and Background Information

The $400 million grant opportunity through EPA’s Clean School Bus Program will fund electric, propane, and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses that will produce either zero or low tailpipe emissions compared to their older diesel predecessors.
This is the first round of funding available as grants and follows the nearly $1 billion the Biden-Harris Administration awarded through the rebate competition last year to fund electric and low-emission school buses across school districts.
This 2023 Grant Program is separate from the earlier 2022 Rebate Program, and interested applicants must apply to the Grant Program if interested in this funding opportunity.
Eligible applicants for this funding opportunity are (1) state and local governmental entities that provide bus service; (2) public charter school districts, (3) Indian Tribes, Tribal Organizations, or Tribally-controlled Schools, (4) Nonprofit School Transportation Associations, and (5) Eligible Contractors (including OEMs, Dealers, School Bus Service Providers, and Private Bus Fleets).
EPA will provide a combined funding amount to cover both bus and infrastructure costs for all awardees requesting electric school buses.
EPA is prioritizing applications that will replace buses serving high-need local education agencies, Tribal school districts funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs or those receiving basic support payments for students living on Tribal land, and rural areas.
EPA’s Clean School Bus program will transform school bus fleets across the country and make clean, zero-emissions school buses the American standard.

EPA Announces Public Hearing on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Proposal

April 17, 2023 9:27 AM | Tammy Mortier (Administrator)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a two-day virtual public hearing to be held May 2 and May 3, 2023, on its recently released proposal titled ‘‘Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles—Phase 3’’. An additional session may be held on May 4, 2023, if necessary. This proposal would promulgate new Greenhouse Gas (GHG) standards for heavy-duty highway vehicles, including school buses, starting in model year (MY) 2028 through MY 2032. If you are interested in attending this virtual meeting and/or testifying, please see the following link for registration information:

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-04-17/pdf/2023-07964.pdf

Suspicious Buses Attempting to Pick Up Children

April 14, 2023 10:09 AM | Tammy Mortier (Administrator)

NASDPTS wanted to make you aware of reports out of Fairfax, VA yesterday of suspicious buses attempting to pick up students. (Washington Post Article | April 13, 2023 at 4:24 p.m. EDT.)

When communicating with parents it is helpful to remind them of general school transportation safety tips, which include but are not limited to the following:

School buses are always marked.
School bus stops are never publicized.
If you see something, you should say something.

In addition, we want to remind you that NASDPTS member Truckers Against Trafficking has several resources on trafficking. While police are still investigating these incidents, the media is also reporting that human trafficking is popular in this area. You can find those resources here: https://truckersagainsttrafficking.org/get-our-materials/#botl-materials.