FMCSA waives hours-of-service rules for truckers hauling heating fuel

WASHINGTON — Extreme cold weather across the U.S. has prompted federal regulators to issue an emergency hours-of-service exemption for truckers hauling heating fuel in 48 states and the District of Columbia.

The exemption to motor carrier work rules in 49 CFR § 395.3, issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Friday, is the most geographically expansive HOS exemption since a 50-state emergency waiver was issued at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

The current exemption “is in response to severe winter storms, extreme low temperatures and fuel high demand resulting in difficulty in distribution of necessary heating fuel, including propane, natural gas, and heating oil,” according to FMCSA.

“This declaration addresses the emergency conditions creating a need for immediate transportation of heating fuel, including propane, natural gas, and heating oil, and provides necessary relief.”

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