FMCSA Amendment To Advance the Global Intermodal Equipment Registry

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has responded to industry’s petition for reconsideration of the final roadability rule and will amend the regulations to allow a fifth intermodal equipment marking option, reports the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA). The announcement has been anticipated since January 2009. This fifth option will enable the identification of chassis and other intermodal equipment through a system that matches equipment to the responsible Intermodal Equipment Provider (IEP).

The amendment to the final rule will advance the Global Intermodal Equipment Registry (GIER), an industry sponsored solution that was developed by IANA. “This decision positions GIER to move ahead and help the intermodal industry quickly and cost-effectively comply with the new roadability regulations,” says Joni Casey, president and CEO of IANA.

GIER is a virtual technology alternative to the intermodal equipment marking options that were mandated in the final roadability regulations issued by FMCSA. It reduces costs for users by using technology to avoid the physical capturing and remarking of intermodal equipment to meet the regulatory requirements. Instead, GIER utilizes the existing unique alpha-numeric control numbers that currently appear on intermodal equipment.

GIER links equipment to the responsible intermodal equipment provider (IEP) utilizing the newly-required IEP USDOT number. GIER also provides the critical IEP information needed to enable electronic processing of Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIR) in order to meet the FMCSA roadability regulations.

Beta testing for GIER currently is in its final stages. The registry will formally launch in late November 2009, when all IEPs will be able to begin registering their equipment in GIER.