Interpretation ID: aiam3458
Acting Chief of Staff
United States Marine Corps
Marine Corps Logistics Base
Barstow
CA 92311;
Dear Mr. Smith: This responds to questions raised in your June 23, 1981 letter whic was referred to us by Mr. Zemaitis of our regional office. In your letter, you ask for exemption of your vehicles from several Highway Safety Program Standards relating to school buses.; As Mr. Zemaitis indicated, the Highway Safety Program Standards ar applied by the States. If the States deem it appropriate to provide exemptions in the limited type of circumstances described in General Shaffer's May 15, 1981 letter to the California Highway Patrol, they are permitted to do so. Accordingly, I suggest that the Marine Corps again contact the appropriate State officials for the exemption you desire.; The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has always exempte military vehicles from its Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. This exemption is codified in Volume 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations at Part 571.7(c). You may want to point this out to California officials and ask them to adopt a similar exemption policy with respect to your vehicles.; Sincerely, Frank Berndt, Chief Counsel