IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL-RELATED PROVISIONS OF MAP-21
Notice of Actions and Guidance
Issuance date: Oct. 16, 2012
Summary
On July 6, 2012, President Obama signed into law a two-year federal-aid highway reauthorization bill, Moving Ahead for the Progress in the 21st Century Act
(MAP-21, Pub. L. No. 112-141). This Act, which became effective Oct. 1, 2012, includes provisions that exempt commercial motor vehicles operating as "covered
farm vehicles" from certain Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs).
Previously, federal law only exempted farmers and farm helpers from the requirement to have a commercial driver's license (CDL) while operating within a 150 air-mile radius of the home farm. The MAP-21 exemptions broaden this exemption by expanding the geographic area in which covered farm vehicles may be operated and parts of the FMCSRs that covered farm vehicles and their operators are exempted from. The exemptions are described below.
Although states have up to three years to amend their safety regulations to conform to revised FMCSRs that will be implemented by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) under MAP-21, the Iowa Department of Transportation, as requested by the FMCSA, is taking immediate actions to implement the covered farm vehicle exemptions in that Act to provide regulatory relief to the state's agricultural industry.
Effective date
Oct. 16, 2012
Actions
The following actions are taken by the Iowa DOT to implement the agricultural-related provisions of MAP-21.
- Preliminary adoption of the MAP-21 FMCSRs exemptions
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Issued a news release and published online a notice offering initial guidance to motor carriers, farm and ranch operators and their employees, and
law enforcement officials
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Published online and made available at the county treasurers offices throughout the state a covered farm vehicle designation form to be completed and
carried by eligible vehicle owners.