Applicability of Federal Safety Regulations to All 9-to-15 Passenger Vans Operating Interstate for Direct Compensation

This report, sponsored by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), investigated the regulatory impact on small businesses from eliminating the 75-air-mile criterion from the applicability of FMCSA's Final Rule issued on August 12, 2003. This report provides an important new resource to estimate the number of motor carriers, drivers, and vehicles that would be subject to implementing regulations to address the provisions of Section 4136 of SAFETEA-LU, as codified in 49 U.S.C. 31136. The study teams work generates a range of estimates of the regulated entities using new and innovative techniques. The report also draws upon information obtained from important stakeholders in the crash reconstruction expert, van operator, and State regulatory communities communities with whom FMCSA has rarely, if ever, communicated in the past. Finally, it provides a framework to estimate the benefits and costs of implementing such a regulation. A team conducted a literature review; collected data from States and carriers; and developed a questionnaire to interview and collect data from State agencies, stakeholders, and experts pertaining to 9-to-15-passenger vans.