The U.S. Dept. of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a notice for public comments concerning the applicability of FMSCA regulations to operators of certain farm vehicles and off-road agricultural equipment.

Specifically, FMCSA requests public comment on: 1) previously published regulatory guidance on the distinction between interstate and intrastate commerce in determining whether operations of commercial motor vehicles within the boundaries of a single state are subject to FMSCA regulations; 2) the factors that states are using in deciding whether farm vehicle drivers transporting agricultural commodities, farm supplies and equipment — as part of a crop share agreement — are subject to commercial driver’s license regulations; and 3) proposed guidance to determine if off-road farm equipment or implements of husbandry operated on public roads for limited distances are considered commercial motor vehicles.

The NCC will be submitting comments in response to the notice. Comments are due on or before June 30, 2011. The Federal Register notice is at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-05-31/html/2011-13035.htm.