Interpretation ID: nht72-5.13

DATE: 03/22/72

FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; Richard B. Dyson; NHTSA

TO: White River Distributors Inc.

TITLE: FMVSR INTERPRETATION

TEXT: This is in reply to your letter of March 6, 1972, forwarded to us by Tom Pieratt, wherein you discuss certain situations which have arisen regarding the GVWR of chassis you have purchased for completion by adding bodies.

As far as I can determine from the facts you provided in your letter, the chassis manufacturers are doing nothing that is contrary to our regulations. Your complaints seem to be that (a) some chassis that you believe to be identical bear differing weight ratings in their accompanying literature; and (b) you have received some chassis that do not have the weight ratings that you want and believed you were ordering. Both problems appear to be matters of communication between you and the manufacturers or their dealers, which might be resolvable by clearly specifying the desired weight ratings in your purchase order.

Your general statements concerning the effect of the Vehicle Safety Act and the regulations issued thereunder are essentially correct.