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U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Application for an Exemption From the International Institute of Towing and Recovery (IITR)

Notice of final disposition

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces its decision to grant the International Institute of Towing and Recovery's (IITR's) application for a limited 5-year exemption to allow commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operators to secure automobiles, light trucks, and vans using a total of four tiedowns--two fixed and two adjustable--instead of using a minimum of two tiedowns, both of which need to be adjustable. While the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) require each tiedown, or its associated connectors or its attachment mechanisms to be adjustable, the Agency has determined that the use of four tiedowns to secure light vehicles, only two of which are adjustable, will (1) prevent lateral, forward, rearward, and vertical movement of the load when in transit, and (2) provide a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety provided by the regulation.

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