Heating fuel delivery truckers get HOS exemption

Truckers delivering heating fuel in support of emergency relief efforts caused by winter storms in a dozen Midwest and New England states have been granted leeway in hours of service regulations.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued a regional emergency declaration on Jan. 18. It is in effect through Feb. 2.

States included in this emergency declaration are Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.

The emergency declaration applies to motor carriers and drivers providing direct assistance supporting emergency relief efforts transporting heating fuel, including propane, natural gas and heating oil, and other fuel products.

The declaration does not apply to a driver or commercial motor vehicle used in interstate commerce to transport cargo or provide services not directly supporting the emergency relief effort. It also does not apply when the motor carrier dispatches a driver or commercial motor vehicle to another location to begin operations in commerce.