Complete Story
 

03/16/2020

FMCSA Announces Hours-of-service Exemption for Emergency Relief and Direct Assistance Transport

This is in effect until 11:59 p.m. on April 12, 2020

As part of its COVID-19/Coronavirus response, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced a granting of regulatory relief from the Hours of Service (HOS) requirements for commercial motor vehicle carriers providing direct assistance in support of transport of emergency relief supplies, including community safety and emergency restocking items, as well as medical equipment and testing supplies.
 
The declaration mandates that in order to meet the criteria for direct assistance, the shipment must consist of the following:
  1. Medical supplies and equipment related to the testing, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19;
  2. Supplies and equipment necessary for community safety, sanitation, and prevention of community transmission of COVID-19 such as masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, soap and disinfectants;
  3. Food for emergency restocking of stores;
  4. Equipment, supplies and persons necessary to establish and manage temporary housing, quarantine, and isolation facilities related to COVID-19;
  5. Persons designated by Federal, State or local authorities for medical, isolation, or quarantine purposes; and
  6. Persons necessary to provide other medical or emergency services, the supply of which may be affected by the COVID-19 response.
Shipments of all other items, including mixed loads that may contain some of the items listed above, are NOT exempt from the granting of regulatory relief. This declaration applies to drivers while they are delivering shipments described above, as well as the time they are returning empty from a delivery of the items described above, to their normal terminal or work reporting location.
 
Motor carriers should be aware that this notice does not absolve them of their duty to monitor their drivers. In addition, this granting of relief is not an exemption from driver’s CDL requirements; controlled substance and alcohol use and testing requirements; hazmat, size, and weight requirements; or financial responsibility (insurance) requirements.
 
This declaration and emergency granting of relief is in effect until 11:59 p.m. on April 12, 2020. Inquiries to the FMCSA regarding this declaration can be made to this toll-free number: (877) 831-2250.
 
You can view the official declaration by selecting this link.

Printer-Friendly Version