# Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Application for an Exemption From Grote Industries, LLC
**AGENCY:**
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Department of Transportation (DOT).
**ACTION:**
Notice of application for exemption; extension of comment period.
**SUMMARY:**
FMCSA extends the comment period for its February 9, 2026, notice requesting public comment on an application from Grote Industries, LLC (Grote) for an exemption from the requirement that exterior lighting devices on commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) be steady-burning. The exemption would allow motor carriers to operate CMVs equipped with auxiliary rear or side lamps that flash or strobe when controlled by Grote's Rear-End Collision Warning system. The Agency finds it is appropriate to extend the comment period to provide interested parties additional time to submit their responses to the notice. Therefore, FMCSA extends the deadline for the submission of comments by 60 days.
**DATES:**
The comment period for the notice published February 9, 2026, at 91 FR 5798 is extended by 60 days. Comments must be received on or before May 10, 2026.
**ADDRESSES:**
You may submit comments identified by Docket Number FMCSA-2026-0100 by any of the following methods:
• *Federal eRulemaking Portal:**www.regulations.gov.* See the Public Participation and Request for Comments section below for further information.
• *Mail:* Dockets Operations, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, W58-213, West Building, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
• *Hand Delivery or Courier:* 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, W58-213, West Building, Washington, DC 20590-0001, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
• *Fax:* (202) 493-2251.
Each submission must include the Agency name and the docket number (FMCSA-2026-0100) for this notice. Note that DOT posts all comments received without change to *www.regulations.gov,* including any personal information included in a comment. Please see the Privacy Act heading below.
*Privacy Act:* In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31315(b), DOT solicits comments from the public to better inform its processes. DOT posts these comments, including any personal information the commenter provides, to *www.regulations.gov,* as described in the system of records notice DOT/ALL-14 FDMS (Federal Docket Management System (FDMS)), which can be reviewed at *https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/privacy/privacy-act-system-records-notices.* The comments are posted without edit and are searchable by the name of the submitter.
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Mr. David Sutula, Chief, Vehicle and Roadside Operations Division, Office of Carrier, Driver, and Vehicle Safety, FMCSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001; (202) 961-1373; *[email protected].* If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Dockets Operations at (202) 366-9826.
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
**I. Public Participation and Request for Comments**
FMCSA encourages you to participate by submitting comments and related materials.
**A. Submitting Comments**
If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this notice (FMCSA-2026-0100), indicate the specific section of this document to which the comment applies, and provide a reason for suggestions or recommendations. You may submit your comments and material online or by fax, mail, or hand delivery, but please use only one of these means. FMCSA recommends that you include your name and a mailing address, an email address, or a phone number in the body of your document so the Agency can contact you if it has questions regarding your submission.
To submit your comment online, go to *https://www.regulations.gov/document/FMCSA-2026-0100-0002,* click “Comment,” and type your comment into the text box on the following screen.
If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no larger than 8 1/2 by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic filing.
FMCSA will consider all comments and material received during the comment period. Comments received after the comment closing date will be filed in the public docket and will be considered to the extent practicable.
**B. Confidential Business Information (CBI)**
CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public disclosure. If your comments responsive to the notice contain commercial or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to the notice, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission that constitutes CBI as “PROPIN” to indicate it contains proprietary information. FMCSA will treat such marked submissions as confidential under the Freedom of Information Act, and they will not be placed in the public docket of the notice. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Brian Dahlin *[email protected],* Chief, Regulatory Evaluation Division, Office of Policy, FMCSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001 or via email at *[email protected].* At this time, you need not send a duplicate hardcopy of your electronic CBI submissions to FMCSA headquarters. Any comments FMCSA receives not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this notice.
**C. Viewing Comments and Documents**
To view comments, as well as any documents mentioned in this preamble as being available in the docket, go to *https://www.regulations.gov,* insert FMCSA-2026-0100 in the keyword box, select the document tab and choose the document to review. To view comments, click this notice, then click “Browse Comments.” If you do not have access to the internet, you may view the docket online by visiting Dockets Operations in Room W58-213 of the DOT West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 366-9317 or (202) 366-9826 before visiting Dockets Operations.
**II. Background**
On February 9, 2026, FMCSA published in the *Federal Register* a notice requesting public comment on an application from Grote for an exemption from the requirement that exterior lighting devices on CMVs be steady-burning, with a comment deadline of March 11, 2026 (91 FR 5798). The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) filed a comment to the public docket requesting that the comment period be extended by 60 days. CVSA stated that the extension of time would allow its membership to discuss the proposed exemption request during CVSA's 2026 Workshop, which is scheduled for April 19-23, 2026.
The Agency finds it is appropriate to extend the comment period to provide interested parties additional time to submit their responses to the notice. Accordingly, FMCSA extends the comment period until May 10, 2026.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator of Policy.