Fuel Hauler Seeks OK for Pulsing Brake Lights on Its Trucks
Fuel & taxes · Oct 24 · By Truker
A petroleum products carrier, R.B. Stewart (USDOT No. 1290158), has asked federal regulators for a waiver so it can run trucks fitted with an Intellistop device that flashes the rear lights when drivers brake. FMCSA is inviting the public to weigh in on the request, since current rules call for these lamps to stay lit without variation.
The points
- 1The carrier wants relief from the federal rule that lighting devices must glow steadily.
- 2Its trucks would carry an Intellistop module wired to the rear clearance, identification, and brake lamps.
- 3On brake application, the module ramps the lamps from dim to bright four times over two seconds.
- 4After the pulsing sequence, the lamps settle into a constant glow for as long as the brakes stay applied.
- 5FMCSA is collecting public feedback on the carrier's waiver request.
Why it matters
A grant would let this carrier operate commercial vehicles with rear lamps that pulse briefly at braking, which departs from the present requirement for constantly lit lighting devices.
What we read
Federal Register FMCSA