FMCSA extends emergency declaration until Sept. 14

August 12, 2020

Land Line Staff

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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration made history when it issued its first federal hours-of-service waiver in March. That unprecedented waiver is now set to last at least six months.

FMCSA announced on Aug. 11 that it is going to extend its emergency declaration through Sept. 14.

The declaration, which provides relief from hours-of-service regulations for commercial motor vehicle drivers responding to the COVID-19 outbreak, had been set to expire Aug. 14.

“FMCSA is continuing the exemption because the presidentially declared emergency remains in place, and because the continued exemption is needed to support direct emergency assistance for some supply chains,” the agency wrote.

This extension continues the relief granted in the previous emergency declaration, but FMCSA is reinstating emergency relief for emergency restocking of food, paper products and other groceries at distribution centers or stores.

Background

On March 13, FMCSA issued its first federal hours-of-service waiver in the history of the agency. That waiver was expanded on March 18 and then extended and further expanded on April 8.

However, there have been some changes since the original waiver. In June, FMCSA removed some of the categories that previously qualified.

The agency also emphasized that the declaration doesn’t give motor carriers the ability to make truckers haul a load even when they say they are tired.

“Motor carriers shall not require or allow fatigued drivers to operate a commercial motor vehicle,” FMCSA wrote. “A driver who informs a carrier that he or she needs immediate rest shall be given at least 10 consecutive hours before the driver is required to return to service.”