National Emergency hours of service exemption Archives

FMCSA cuts back on relief for drivers during emergencies

10 October 2023

WASHINGTON — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has cut back on the regulatory relief it provides for carriers and drivers during emergencies declared at the state level.

The changes, announced on Tuesday, ensure that “the relief granted through emergency declarations is appropriate and tailored to the specifics of the circumstances and emergencies being addressed,” the FMCSA stated.

“This rule also revises the process for extending automatic emergency regulatory relief where...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmcsa-cuts-back-on-relief-for-drivers-during-emergencies

FMCSA considering limiting scope of emergency waivers

7 December 2022

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is proposing to roll back the relief automatically given to commercial truckers and trucking companies when disaster strikes.

The change, which would alter a rule established in 1992, would mean that during a regional emergency caused by weather or other supply chain disruptions, drivers and carriers would be exempt only from daily and weekly limits on driving time and not other requirements that are also exempt in current emergency waivers.

Those...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmcsa-considering-limiting-scope-of-emergency-waivers

Trucking COVID-related supplies drops 50% under special waiver

6 September 2022

New federal data reveals that COVID-19 supplies, such as tests, masks and related medical equipment, hauled under the emergency trucking hours-of-service (HOS) waiver have dropped by approximately 50% over nine months ending in July.

The new data, compiled by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, also shows that livestock and groceries — namely food and paper products — are the primary commodities being transported by truck under the waiver, based on a review of self-reported...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/trucking-covid-related-supplies-drops-50-under-special-waiver

Michigan trucking company seeks work-rule exemption for food products

31 August 2022

Federal regulators will consider a temporary exemption from driver work rules to help a small-business trucking company provide emergency relief to customers threatened by shutdowns.

Holland, Michigan-based Flat Top Transport, which specializes in hauling food-grade dry bulk products in pneumatic tank trucks, applied in July for the four-month hours-of-service (HOS) exemption from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

The agency plans to consider the application as part of a 30-day...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/michigan-trucking-company-seeks-work-rule-exemption-for-food-products

FMCSA asks: How much is the industry using the HOS waiver?

26 August 2021

With another extension of the emergency hours-of-service waiver looming, federal regulators want the trucking industry to let them know to what extent carriers and drivers are actually taking advantage of the exemption.

The first-of-its-kind, 50-state exemption was originally issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The order gives drivers and carriers more time to make deliveries without violating federal work-hour...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmcsa-asks-how-much-is-the-industry-using-the-hos-waiver

FMCSA extends HOS emergency waiver until end of 2020

12 September 2020

Federal regulators have extended a national emergency order exempting carriers and drivers from certain hour-of-service (HOS) regulations until Dec. 31.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) declaration, issued late Friday, is the first multi-month extension of the HOS exemption since the order was initiated in March as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The five previous extensions lasted until the following month, with the most recent set to expire on Sept. 14.

“FMCSA is...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmcsa-extends-hos-emergency-waiver-until-end-of-2020

FMCSA reinstates groceries, paper products in latest HOS waiver

12 August 2020

Emergency restocking of food, paper products and groceries at distribution centers or retail stores once again qualify for the national emergency hours of service (HOS) waiver, according to federal regulators.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) had removed those categories when it modified and extended the waiver in June. However, “because of current conditions” related to COVID-19 relief, the agency decided to place those items back on the list of cargo that qualifies for...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/fmcsa-reinstates-groceries-paper-products-in-latest-hos-waiver

FMCSA looking into petition to delay HOS rule changes

13 July 2020

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) confirmed that it is studying a petition by safety groups and labor to halt the final hours of service (HOS) rule despite the agency strongly backing the changes it made that are scheduled to go into effect on September 29.

Speaking at a meeting of FMCSA’s Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee on Monday, July 13, Mullen acknowledged that “not everybody agrees with [FMCSA’s position]. There’s a petition for reconsideration which we’re...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/fmcsa-looking-into-petition-to-delay-hos-rule-changes