Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, Truck-Camper Loading; Consumer Information Regulations, Truck-Camper Loading

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Parts 571 and 575

[Docket No. 96-09, Notice 01]

RIN 2127-AF81

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, Truck-Camper Loading;

Consumer Information Regulations, Truck-Camper Loading

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),

Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: This document proposes to rescind Federal Motor Vehicle Safety

Standard (Standard) No. 126, Truck-camper loading, and combine its

provisions with 49 CFR 575.103, Truck-camper loading. This action is

being proposed because a review of all of this agency's standards and

regulations pursuant to the President's regulatory reinvention

initiative led the agency to the tentative conclusion that combining

these two rules into one will make their respective requirements easier

to understand and apply.

DATE: Comments must be received on or before April 15, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments must refer to the docket number and notice number

set forth above and be submitted, preferably in 10 copies, to: Docket

Section, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh

Street SW, Room 5109, Washington, DC 20590. Docket hours are from 9:30

a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical issues: Robert M.

Clarke, Office of Vehicle Safety Standards, National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Room 5307, Washington,

DC 20590. Telephone (202) 366-5278, FAX (202) 366-4329. For legal

issues: Walter Myers, Office of the Chief Counsel, National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Room 5219,

Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: (202) 366-2992; FAX (202) 366-3820.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Standard No. 126 was initially established by final rule published

on August 15, 1972 (37 FR 16497) to provide information that can be

used by consumers to reduce overloading and improper load distribution

in truck-camper combinations. The standard requires manufacturers of

slide-in campers to affix a label to each camper specifying, among

other things, the maximum weight of the camper and its equipment. The

standard also requires that the owner's manual for the camper contain a

picture showing the location of the longitudinal center of gravity of

the camper when properly loaded. When initially published, the standard

also required manufacturers of trucks capable of accommodating slide-in

campers to include in the truck operator's manual a picture showing the

manufacturer's recommended longitudinal center of gravity for the cargo

weight rating of the camper and a picture of the proper match of a

truck and slide-in camper.

On the same day, August 15, 1972, NHTSA published a notice of

proposed rulemaking (NPRM) proposing to require that slide-in campers

be identified by a vehicle identification number ``to facilitate any

future defect notification and recall campaigns that might occur'' (37

FR 16505).

In a notice published on December 14, 1972 (37 FR 26605), NHTSA

adopted the requirement for a vehicle identification number. In the

same notice, in response to petitions for reconsideration of the final

rule of August 15, 1972, which established Standard No. 126 (37 FR

16497), NHTSA withdrew the truck requirements from the standard and

reissued them in 49 CFR 575.103, a consumer information regulation (37

FR 26607).

Pursuant to the March 4, 1994 directive entitled Regulatory

Reinvention Initiative from the President to the heads of all Federal

departments and agencies, NHTSA reviewed all its Federal motor vehicle

safety standards and related regulations. As a result of that review,

NHTSA identified several standards and regulations, or portions

thereof, that it would propose to rescind or amend. The agency

tentatively determined that the camper requirements of Standard No. 126

and the truck requirements of 49 CFR 575.103 should be combined into

one regulation as before, but this time as a consumer information

regulation rather than as a safety standard.

Agency Proposal

a. Truck Camper Loading

After reviewing the requirements for truck-camper loading, which

involve labeling and certain information in the owner's manual, the

agency has tentatively concluded that it serves no useful purpose to

keep the camper requirements separate from the truck requirements in

the CFR. The agency believes that it would be easier, more convenient,

and more efficient for manufacturers, regulators, and the public to

apply those provisions if they were combined rather than maintained as

separate provisions in the CFR. Indeed, placing them together is

appropriate since their subject matter is so closely related.

Accordingly, the agency proposes to rescind Standard No. 126 and

consolidate its requirements into 49 CFR 575.103.

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b. Slide-in Camper Vehicle Identification Number

As stated in the Background discussion above, Standard No. 126

requires camper manufacturers to assign a vehicle identification number

(VIN) to each slide-in camper they produce. Specifically, paragraph

S5.1.1(e) provides that manufacturers must assign a number to each

slide-in camper ``for identification purposes consisting of arabic

numerals, roman letters, or both.'' The same paragraph further provides

that no two campers produced within a 10-year period shall have the

same identification number.

The final rule of December 14, 1972 stated that the purpose of the

camper VIN was to increase the accuracy and efficiency of recall

campaigns conducted by manufacturers to remedy safety defects. However,

out of the 26 recalls that have been conducted under Standard No. 126

since its inception in 1972, none have involved or relied on the camper

VIN. Information available to NHTSA discloses that while some camper

manufacturers use a 17-digit VIN similar to the VIN required on

vehicles by Standard No. 115 and 49 CFR Part 565, others combine the

camper VIN and the camper serial number. Thus, there is no uniformity

in the industry as to the application of the camper VIN. Agency

experience in past slide-in camper recalls has been that the

manufacturer's model and serial numbers are sufficient to identify the

campers and/or the models involved in the recall. NHTSA has tentatively

concluded, therefore, that requiring slide-in campers to have a VIN is

redundant and does not serve its intended purpose. Accordingly, NHTSA

proposes to delete the requirement for a vehicle identification number

on slide-in campers.

Rulemaking Analyses and Notices

Executive Order 12866 and DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures

This rulemaking document was not reviewed under E.O. 12866,

Regulatory Planning and Review. NHTSA has considered the impact of this

rulemaking action under the DOT's regulatory policies and procedures

and has determined that it is not ``significant'' within the meaning of

those policies and procedures.

The amendments proposed in this rulemaking action are intended to

reorganize certain existing requirements and to eliminate a separate,

unneeded requirement, thereby simplifying and streamlining the body of

Federal regulations. The agency estimates that there would be no cost

impact or lead time effects for either manufacturers, dealers, or

consumers.

Elimination of the requirement for assigning and affixing a camper

VIN would result in only minimal cost savings. Currently, camper

manufacturers are required to place the camper VIN on the label

containing other information about campers. Since camper manufacturers

would continue to be required to place that label on their campers,

being relieved of the necessity of placing a camper VIN on the label

would at most enable the manufacturers to use a slightly smaller label.

Accordingly, the agency believes that impacts would be so minimal

as not to warrant the preparation of a full preliminary regulatory

evaluation.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

NHTSA has also considered the impacts of this notice under the

Regulatory Flexibility Act. I hereby certify that this proposed rule

would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of

small entities. For the reasons stated above, this proposal would have

no significant impact on manufacturers of slide-in campers and trucks

capable of accommodating slide-in campers, thus would have no impact on

the costs of those products. Accordingly, the agency has not prepared a

preliminary regulatory flexibility analysis.

Executive Order 12612 (Federalism)

This action has been analyzed in accordance with the principles and

criteria contained in Executive Order 12612, and it has been determined

that the proposed rule would not have sufficient Federalism

implications to warrant preparation of a Federalism Assessment. No

state laws would be affected.

Paperwork Reduction Act

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, Pub. L. 96-

511, the agency notes that there are no information collection

requirements associated with this rulemaking action.

Executive Order 12778 (Civil Justice Reform)

This proposed rule would not have any retroactive effect. Under 49

U.S.C. 30103(b), whenever a Federal motor vehicle safety standard is in

effect, a state or political subdivision thereof may prescribe or

continue in effect a standard applicable to the same aspect of

performance of a motor vehicle only if the state's standard is

identical to the Federal standard. However, the United States

government, a state or political subdivision thereof may prescribe a

standard for a motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment for its own use

that imposes a higher performance requirement than that required by the

Federal standard. 49 U.S.C. 30161 sets forth a procedure for judicial

review of final rules establishing, amending or revoking Federal motor

vehicle safety standards. This section does not require submission of a

petition for reconsideration or other administrative procedures before

parties may file suit in court.

Comments

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on the proposal.

It is requested but not required that comments be submitted in 10

copies.

Comments must not exceed 15 pages in length (49 CFR 553.21). This

limitation is intended to encourage commenters to detail their primary

arguments in a concise fashion. Necessary attachments may be appended

to these submissions without regard to the 15-page limit.

If a commenter wishes to submit certain information under a claim

of confidentiality, 3 copies of the complete submission, including the

purportedly confidential business information, should be submitted to

the Chief Counsel, NHTSA, at the street address given above, and 7

copies from which the purportedly confidential information has been

deleted should be submitted to the Docket Section. A request for

confidentiality should be accompanied by a cover letter setting forth

the information specified in 49 CFR Part 512, the agency's confidential

business information regulation.

All comments received before the close of business on the comment

closing date indicated above for the proposal will be considered, and

will be available to the public for examination in the docket at the

above address both before and after the closing date. To the extent

possible, comments filed after the closing date will also be

considered. Comments received too late for consideration in regard to

the final rule will be considered as suggestions for further rulemaking

action. The agency will continue to file relevant information in the

docket as it becomes available after the closing date, and it is

recommended that interested persons continue to examine the docket for

new material.

Those persons desiring to be notified upon receipt of their

comments in the docket section should enclose a self- addressed,

stamped postcard in the envelope with their comments. Upon receiving

the comments, the docket

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supervisor will return the postcard by mail.

List of Subjects

49 CFR Part 571

Imports, Motor vehicle safety, Motor vehicles, Rubber and rubber

products, Tires.

49 CFR Part 575

Consumer protection, Motor vehicle safety, Reporting and

recordkeeping requirements, Tires.

In consideration of the foregoing, 49 CFR Parts 571 and 575 would

be amended as follows:

PART 571--FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS

1. The authority citation for Part 571 would continue to read as

follows:

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 30117, and 30166;

delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50.

Sec. 571.126 [Removed]

2. Section 571.126 would be removed.

PART 575--CONSUMER INFORMATION REGULATIONS

3. The authority citation for Part 575 would continue to read as

follows:

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 30117, and 30166;

delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50.

4. Section 575.103 would be revised to read as follows:

Sec. 575.103 Truck-camper loading.

(a) Scope. This section requires manufacturers of slide-in campers

to affix to each camper a label that contains information relating to

identification and proper loading of the camper and to provide more

detailed loading information in the owner's manual. This section also

requires manufacturers of trucks that would accommodate slide-in

campers to specify the cargo weight ratings and the longitudinal limits

within which the center of gravity for the cargo weight rating should

be located.

(b) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to provide information

that can be used to reduce overloading and improper load placement in

truck-camper combinations and unsafe truck- camper matching in order to

prevent accidents resulting from the adverse effects of these

conditions on vehicle steering and braking.

(c) Application. This section applies to slide-in campers and to

trucks that are capable of accommodating slide-in campers.

(d) Definitions. Camper means a structure designed to be mounted in

the cargo area of a truck, or attached to an incomplete vehicle with

motive power, for the purpose of providing shelter for persons.

Cargo Weight Rating means the value specified by the manufacturer

as the cargo-carrying capacity, in pounds or kilograms, of a vehicle,

exclusive of the weight of occupants in designated seating positions,

computed as 150 pounds or 68 kilograms times the number of designated

seating positions.

Slide-in Camper means a camper having a roof, floor, and sides,

designed to be mounted on and removable from the cargo area of a truck

by the user.

(e) Requirements.

(1) Slide-in Camper.

(i) Labels. Each slide-in camper shall have permanently affixed to

it, in such a manner that it cannot be removed without defacing or

destroying it, and in a plainly visible location on an exterior rear

surface other than the roof, steps, or bumper extension, a label

containing the following information in the English language lettered

in block capitals and numerals not less than 2.4 millimeters (three

thirty-seconds of an inch) high, of a color contrasting with the

background, in the order shown below and in the form illustrated in

Figure 1 to this section.

(A) Name of camper manufacturer. The full corporate or individual

name of the actual assembler of the camper shall be spelled out, except

that such abbreviations as ``Co.'' or ``Inc.'' and their foreign

equivalents, and the first and middle initials of individuals may be

used. The name of the manufacturer shall be preceded by the words

``Manufactured by'' or ``Mfd by.''

(B) Month and year of manufacture. It may be spelled out, such as

``June 1995'' or expressed in numerals, such as ``695.''

(C) The following statement completed as appropriate:

``Camper weight is ________ kg. (________ lbs.) maximum when it

contains standard equipment, ________ liters (________ gal.) of water,

________ kg. (________ lbs.) of bottled gas, and ________ cubic meters

(________ cubic ft.) refrigerator (or icebox with ________ kg.

(________ lbs.) of ice, as applicable). Consult owner's manual (or data

sheet, as applicable) for weights of additional or optional

equipment.''

(D) ``Liters (or gal.) of water'' refers to the volume of water

necessary to fill the camper's fresh water tanks to capacity. ``Kg. (or

lbs.) of bottled gas'' refers to the amount of gas necessary to fill

the camper's bottled gas tanks to capacity. The statement regarding a

``refrigerator'' or ``icebox'' refers to the capacity of the

refrigerator with which the vehicle is equipped or the weight of the

ice with which the icebox may be filled. Any of these items may be

omitted from the statement if the corresponding accessories are not

included with the camper, provided that the omission is noted in the

camper owner's manual as required in paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this

section.

(ii) Owner's manual. Each slide-in camper manufacturer shall

provide with each camper a manual or other document containing the

information specified in paragraphs (e)(1)(ii)(A) through (F) of this

section.

(A) The statement and information provided on the label as

specified in paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this section. Instead of the

information required by paragraphs (e)(1)(i)(B) and (C) of this

section, a manufacturer may use the statements ``See camper

identification label located (as applicable) for month and year of

manufacture.'' If water, bottled gas, or refrigerator (icebox) has been

omitted from this statement, the manufacturer's information shall note

such omission and advise that the weight of any such item when added to

the camper should be added to the maximum camper weight figure used in

selecting an appropriate truck.

(B) A list of other additional or optional equipment that the

camper is designed to carry, and the maximum weight of each if its

weight is more than 9 kg. (20 lbs) when installed.

(C) The statement: ``To estimate the total cargo load that will be

placed on a truck, add the weight of all passengers in the camper, the

weight of supplies, tools, and all other cargo, the weight of installed

additional or optional camper equipment, and the manufacturer's camper

weight figure. Select a truck that has a cargo weight rating that is

equal to or greater than the total cargo load of the camper and whose

manufacturer recommends a cargo center of gravity zone that will

contain the camper's center of gravity when it is installed.''

(D) The statements: ``When loading this camper, store heavy gear

first, keeping it on or close to the camper floor. Place heavy things

far enough forward to keep the loaded camper's center of gravity within

the zone recommended by the truck manufacturer. Store only light

objects on high shelves. Distribute weight to obtain even side-to-side

balance of the loaded vehicle. Secure loose items to prevent weight

shifts that could affect the balance of your vehicle. When the truck-

camper is loaded, drive to a scale and weigh on the front and on the

rear wheels separately to determine axle loads. The load on an axle

should not exceed its gross axle weight rating

[[Page 5733]]

(GAWR). The total of the axle loads should not exceed the gross vehicle

weight rating (GVWR). These weight ratings are given on the vehicle

certification label that is located on the left side of the vehicle,

normally on the dash panel, hinge pillar, door latch post, or door edge

next to the driver on trucks manufactured on or after January 1, 1972.

If weight ratings are exceeded, move or remove items to bring all

weights below the ratings.''

(E) A picture showing the location of the longitudinal center of

gravity of the camper within an accuracy of 5 centimeters (2 inches)

under the loaded condition specified in paragraph (e)(1)(i)(D) of this

section in the manner illustrated in Figure 2 of this section.

(F) A picture showing the proper match of a truck and slide-in

camper in the form illustrated in Figure 3 to this section.

(2) Trucks.

(i) Except as provided in paragraph (e)(2)(ii) of this section,

each manufacturer of a truck that is capable of accommodating a slide-

in camper shall provide to the purchaser in the owner's manual or other

document delivered with the truck, in writing and in the English

language, the information specified in paragraphs (e)(2)(i) (A) through

(E) of this section.

(A) A picture showing the manufacturer's recommended longitudinal

center of gravity zone for the cargo weight rating in the form

illustrated in Figure 4 to this section. The boundaries of the zone

shall be such that when a slide-in camper equal in weight to the

truck's cargo weight rating is installed, no GAWR of the truck is

exceeded.

(B) The truck's cargo weight rating.

(C) The statements: ``When the truck is used to carry a slide-in

camper, the total cargo load of the truck consists of the

manufacturer's camper weight figure, the weight of installed additional

camper equipment not included in the manufacturer's camper weight

figure, the weight of camper cargo, and the weight of passengers in the

camper. The total cargo load should not exceed the truck's cargo weight

rating and the camper's center of gravity should fall within the

truck's recommended center of gravity zone when installed.''

(D) A picture showing the proper match of a truck and slide-in

camper in the form illustrated in Figure 3 to this section.

(E) The statements: ``Secure loose items to prevent weight shifts

that could affect the balance of your vehicle. When the truck camper is

loaded, drive to a scale and weigh on the front and on the rear wheels

separately to determine axle loads. Individual axle loads should not

exceed either of the gross axle weight ratings (GAWR). The total of the

axle loads should not exceed the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR).

These ratings are given on the vehicle certification label that is

located on the left side of the vehicle, normally the dash, hinge

pillar, door latch post, or door edge next to the driver. If weight

ratings are exceeded, move or remove items to bring all weights below

the ratings.''

(ii) If a truck would accommodate a slide-in camper but the

manufacturer of the truck recommends that the truck not be used for

that purpose, the information specified in paragraph (E) of this

section shall not be provided but instead the manufacturer shall

provide a statement that the truck should not be used to carry a slide-

in camper.

Mfd. By: (Camper Manufacturer's Name)

(Month and Year of Manufacture)

Camper weight is ________ kg (________ lb) maximum when it contains

standard equipment, ________ liters (________ gal) of water, ________

kg (________ lb) of bottled gas, and ________ cubic meters (________

cubic ft) refrigerator (or icebox with ________kg (________lb) of ice,

as applicable). Consult owner's manual (or data sheet as applicable)

for weights of additional or optional equipment.

Figure 1. Label for Camper

BILLING CODE 4910-59-P

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[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP14FE96.000

[[Page 5735]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP14FE96.001

[[Page 5736]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP14FE96.002

BILLING CODE 4910-59-C

Issued on February 8, 1996.

Barry Felrice,

Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.

[FR Doc. 96-3178 Filed 2-13-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-59-P