(a) A railroad shall not certify or recertify a person as a qualified locomotive engineer in any class of train or engine service, if the railroad is making:
(1) A determination concerning eligibility and the eligibility data being relied on were furnished more than 366 days before the date of the railroad's certification decision;
(2) A determination concerning visual and hearing acuity and the medical examination being relied on was conducted more than 366 days before the date of the railroad's recertification decision;
(3) A determination concerning demonstrated knowledge and the knowledge examination being relied on was conducted more than 366 days before the date of the railroad's certification decision; or
(4) A determination concerning demonstrated performance skills and the performance skill testing being relied on was conducted more than 366 days before the date of the railroad's certification decision;
(b) The time limitations of paragraph (a) of this section do not apply to a railroad that is making a certification decision in reliance on determinations made by another railroad in accordance with paragraph (c)(2) of this section, § 240.227, or § 240.229.
(c) Except as provided in § 240.201 concerning implementation dates for initial certification decisions and paragraph (b) of this section, no railroad shall:
(1) Certify a person as a qualified locomotive engineer for an interval of more than 36 months; or
(2) Rely on a certification issued by another railroad that is more than 36 months old.
(d) Except as provided for in § 240.201 concerning initial implementation of the program, a railroad shall issue each person designated as a certified locomotive engineer a certificate that complies with § 240.223 no later than 30 days from the date of its decision to certify or recertify that person.