January 2, 2002

In an effort to protect the traveling public, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Fed-eral Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today announced that it is enforcing a re-quirement prohibiting motor carriers from placing extraneous information on placards and in placard holders. These devices are reserved for hazardous materials information.

This action enforces a requirement of the Department's Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) that prohibits in the placard holder any sign, advertisement, slogan (such as "Drive Safely") or device that could be confused with any placard containing hazardous mate-rials information.

The prohibition, which became effective Oct. 1, 2001, subjects violators to a civil penalty of at least $250 and not more than $27,500 per violation and possible additional enforcement ac-tion by FMCSA.

FMCSA believes that extraneous information displayed on placards, placard type dis-plays and in placard holders detracts from the basic function of the placard and reduces the abil-ity of emergency responders to readily recognize vital hazard alerting information. Placards must be strictly reserved for hazards communication and all other confusing or conflicting dis-plays prohibited.

Additional information is in the final rule, which is on the Internet at: http://hazmat.dot.gov/hm206.pdf and http://hazmat.dot.gov/rules/hm206.htm .

FMCSA is instructing anyone with questions concerning the enforcement of this rule to contact the nearest FMCSA Service Center Monday through Friday between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Contact the Eastern Service Center, (202) 366-6892; Southern, (404)-562-3600; Midwest-ern, (708) 283-3565; or Western, (415) 744-3088. On weekends, holidays or after hours, contact the 24-hour Department of Transportation Safety Hotline at 1-888-DOT-SAFT, 1-888-368-7238.

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