WASHINGTON The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration plans to conduct a telephone survey of 50 commercial passenger van operators before it begins requiring the companies to comply with virtually the same federal motor carrier safety regulations as motorcoach operators.

The FMCSA announced late last month it was planning the survey and is requesting comments on its proposal. The comment deadline is May 7.

As a result of a law passed in 2003, some operators of what the FMCSA calls "small passenger-carrying commercial motor vehicles" came under federal regulation if they operated interstate.

Under the five-year federal highway and public transit law passed a year and a half ago, Congress required the FMCSA to extend its regulatory reach to all interstate van operators. The change meant a far greater number of van operators were to become subject to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

Most of the 9-15 passenger vehicles subject to the 2003 and 2005 laws are vans and they conduct business virtually everywhere, often transporting people from small towns to large airports, carrying workers to job sites, and transporting immigrants both legal and illegal along and away from the U.S. border, particularly in the Southwest.

"To effectively inform this segment of the motor carrier passenger industry of the regulatory requirements that they will be subject to, and to assist the agency in administering an effective educational outreach program to this entire industry segment, FMCSA intends to conduct a survey to obtain information about all of these motor passenger carrier operations," the FMCSA said in its notice about the survey.

Specifically, FMCSA says it wants to learn more about the safety and/or regulatory compliance challenges of van operators. The agency expects the information it gets by calling 50 van companies will provide insight into the common safety and regulatory compliance challenges these operators face.

"It is appropriate that FMCSA connect with and inform this segment of the motor carrier industry of its regulatory compliance responsibilities before implementing an enforcement program," the agency said.

Comments about the survey may be submitted on or before May 7, and sent to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 Seventeenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20503. Attention: DOT/FMCSA Desk Officer.

For more information, contact Peter Chandler, FMCSA Office of Enforcement and Compliance, Commercial Passenger Carrier Safety Division, 400 Seventh St., SW, Washington, DC 20590. Phone (202) 366-5763, fax (202) 366-3621, or e-mail peter.chandler@dot.gov.