It has been years in the making, but finally rulemaking to empower consumers with a “tire rating system” is under review.

The NHTSA's rulemaking to provide consumers with information about tire fuel efficiency, wet traction and tread wear is now being reviewed by The White House Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OMB/OIRA).

First proposed in 2007 as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the rule will help create a tire performance rating system to help fuel consumer's tire purchasing decisions.

NHTSA proposed its first draft of the consumer information regulation in 2009, but went back to the drawing board in response to public comments. The Rubber Manufacturers Alliance encouraged NHTSA to develop a five-category rating system that would provide consumers with meaningful purchasing choices for replacement tires. In 2010 and 2011, NHTSA conducted consumer research, which favored a five-category rating system for tire fuel efficiency, wet traction and tread wear, the RMA said.

“Throughout the regulatory process, our goal has been a final rule that will provide consumers with clear, meaningful information to aid their tire purchasing decisions,” said Anne Forristall Luke, RMA president and CEO. “Equally important to RMA members, an effective consumer information rule will be a major step toward implementing other regulations required under last year's federal highway legislation to establish minimum performance standards for tire rolling resistance and wet traction.”

OIRA has up to 90 days to review NHTSA's proposal unless the agencies agree that more time for coordination is needed.  The review should be completed by Jan. 14, 2017.

If no changes are required by OIRA, the proposed rule will be published and open to public comment for 60 days.  The rule's content will not be known until it appears in the Federal Register.