R.B. Stewart Seeks Federal Truck Lighting Exemption
The petroleum carrier is requesting a waiver from steady-burning rear lamp rules to allow the use of pulsing brake lights.
Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Trucks
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Should federal regulators allow commercial trucks to use pulsing brake lights instead of steady-burning ones?
R.B. Stewart Petroleum Products has formally requested an exemption from federal safety regulations to install a pulsing brake light module on its fleet. The company contends that this technology improves vehicle visibility and helps prevent rear-end collisions for its cargo tank trailers.
Why it matters
Federal rules currently mandate that commercial vehicle lamps remain steady-burning to ensure predictable signaling for other motorists. This request highlights ongoing industry pressure to adopt advanced warning systems that could enhance safety for high-risk cargo vehicles.
The proposed Intellistop module pulses rear lamps four times over a two-second interval when brakes are applied. Currently, 13 motor carriers already hold specific exemptions from 49 CFR 393.25(e) regarding steady-burning light requirements.
The players
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
This agency operates under the U.S. Department of Transportation and is responsible for regulating commercial motor vehicle safety.
R.B. Stewart Petroleum Products
The company is a private petroleum carrier that currently operates cargo tank trailers across its service routes.
American Trucking Associations
This organization acts as the primary trade group representing the trucking industry before federal regulatory bodies.
Intellistop
This technology manufacturer specializes in electronic modules designed to automate vehicle brake light signaling sequences.
The details
The Intellistop system transitions lights from low to high intensity to grab the attention of trailing drivers before returning the lamps to a steady-burning state. This specific petition follows a broader, industry-wide request from the manufacturer that is currently under review by federal authorities.
Timeline
October 2022: FMCSA denied an earlier industry-wide exemption request from Intellistop.
April 2026: Intellistop submitted a new petition for an industry-wide exemption.
October 26, 2026: The FMCSA began accepting public comments on the R.B. Stewart request.
Roadmap
The petition challenges the long-standing industry reliance on 49 CFR 393.25(e) to maintain uniform signaling standards across all commercial vehicle types. This move reflects a broader industry push to modernize safety equipment that could necessitate a full regulatory update.
Motorists can expect to see variations in brake light behavior on commercial vehicles if more exemptions are granted by the agency. This shift may change how drivers process braking cues from cargo tankers when traveling on interstate highways.
The takeaway
The tug-of-war between uniform safety standards and new technological alerts continues as regulators balance predictability with visibility. Drivers should remain alert to non-standard braking signals as the federal government weighs these specific fleet-based waiver requests.
What happens next
The FMCSA is currently reviewing the R.B. Stewart application under docket number FMCSA-2026-3730 and has not yet set a date for a final determination.
Further reading
For more information on the evolving standards for commercial vehicles, visit the Trucks section.
More information
Interested parties can submit public comments on federal rule through the official government portal.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Land Line Media.
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Should federal regulators allow commercial trucks to use pulsing brake lights instead of steady-burning ones?
