HOURS OF SERVICE EXEMPTION EXTENDED FOR CARRIERS, TRUCKERS
On August 31, 2022, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA) extended its Emergency Declaration exempting motor carriers and drivers that provide direct support to the national COVID-19 emergency from maximum driving time requirements.
Enacted in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 crisis, this declaration helps mitigate impacts on the U.S. supply chain caused by the pandemic. Without this exemption, motor carriers and drivers are mandated to follow the Hours of Service (HOS) rule.
The HOS rule states that carriers and drivers:
- May drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive off-duty hours
- May not drive beyond 14 consecutive hours following 10 consecutive hours off-duty
- Must take a 30-minute break when they have driven for 8 cumulative hours
- May not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days
This extension of the modified Emergency Declaration addresses national emergency conditions that create a need for immediate transportation of essential supplies and provides necessary relief from the FMCSRs for motor carriers and drivers… FMCSA may take action to modify the Emergency Declaration, including scaling back the commodities covered by the Emergency Declaration or changing the restrictions associated with transporting the commodities, or to terminate Emergency Declaration No. 2020-002 sooner, if conditions warrant.
Robin Hutcheson, Deputy Administrator, FMSCA
COVID-19 EXEMPTED PRODUCTS
The Emergency Declaration exempts drivers from adhering to the HOS rule when transporting certain COVID-19 relief goods.
Exempt products include:
- Livestock and livestock feed
- Medical supplies and equipment related to the testing, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19
- Vaccines, constituent products, and medical supplies and equipment including ancillary supplies/kits for the administration of vaccines related to the prevention of COVID-19
- Supplies and equipment for the prevention of COVID-19 such as masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, soap, and disinfectants
- Food, paper products, and other groceries for emergency restocking of distribution centers or stores
- Gasoline, diesel, diesel exhaust fluid, jet fuel, ethyl alcohol, and heating fuel (propane, natural gas, heating oil)
The emergency declaration extension remains in effect through October 15, 2022.
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