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LAKEVILLE, IN (Source: www.hoosiertire.com)
-- As a result of the Ford/Firestone
controversy, Congress passed the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and
Documentation Act of 2000 (TREAD Act). This document proposes to
establish new and more stringent tire performance requirements in a
new Federal motor vehicle safety standard that will apply to all new
tires for use on vehicles with a gross weight rating of 10,000 pounds
or less.
This proposal, as it is currently written, will have a
dramatic affect on Hoosier Racing Tire Corp.'s ability to continue to
supply DOT specialty tires to thousands of racing enthusiasts. The proposal
seeks to require all tire manufacturers to adhere to these new
guidelines. Whereas Hoosier Racing Tire Corp. fully supports and will
adhere to the proposal as it pertains to our street tire line (Hoosier
Performance Tire), we feel there should be an exception made for
companies producing low volume tires for specialty markets.
These new guidelines will have a devastating impact on
Hoosier Racing Tire Corp.'s ability to continue to offer a DOT
specialty tire for several markets. At a minimum, if required to comply with the
proposed standards, the cost of Hoosier DOT specialty tires will
dramatically increase. But more likely, Hoosier might be forced to
exit these markets and cease offering tires to many of our current
customers due to cost ramifications resulting from complying with the
new standards (FMVSS 139).
While these increased standards are long overdue on
mass produced passenger car/light truck tires, we feel they were not
applicable to small quantities of specialized tires that have had an
exemplary safety record.
We ask that you help us in our efforts to convince the
governing bodies to exempt small manufacturers of specialty tires from
required compliance. To do this, we ask that you click on the
following government link to submit your comments: http://dmses.dot.gov/submit/ProcSubmission.asp.
Once the new window appears, you will need to fill out the form
using 8011 for the "Docket ID". Select NHTSA
for the "Operating Administration." Leave "Docket
Type" filled in as Regulatory. Next, change the "Docket
Existence" from Unknown to Does Exist. Next, type in Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Tires for the "Document
Title". The final two entries can be left at their default
settings of "No" and "Enter Comment". Complete the
Submitter Information field and then click "CONTINUE".
Finally, either enter your own text asking for an
exemption to the proposed new standards for small specialty tire
manufacturers or simply cut and paste the following text into the
Comment Box:
Maintain the existing FMVSS 109 for tires with
annual production per size and design that does not exceed 15,000.
And, modification to the proposed FMVSS 119 to maintain the existing
FMVSS 119 testing standard for tires with annual production
per size and design that does not exceed 15,000 for use on light
trucks with GVWR of 10,000 lbs or less.
And click SUBMIT. (We have until June 5, 2002
to submit comments regarding the proposed guidelines.)
THANKS!
We thank you for your efforts to help us with this regulatory
situation and vow to continue to produce the best specialty tires in the
world as long as it is economically feasible for us to continue to do
so given these regulatory developments. UPDATE:
6-13-02
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