Prisoner transportation company asks FMCSA for exemptions
A company that provides prisoner transportation services to law enforcement has asked FMCSA for an exemption from the hours-of-service regulations.
In a notice that was published in the Federal Register on Friday, March 28, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced that Colorado Huntsman Transport seeks an exemption from the regulation that limits drivers to 60 hours of on-duty time within seven consecutive days.
Huntsman Transport asked FMCSA for a customized hours-of-service framework that would allow its drivers to accumulate up to 80 hours of on-duty time within a seven-day period.
Current regulations prohibit passenger-carrying commercial motor vehicle drivers from driving after having been on duty 60 hours in any seven consecutive days if the motor carrier does not operate every day of the week. If the motor carrier does operate every day of the week, its drivers are prohibited from operating after having been on duty 70 hours in any period of eight consecutive days.
“The applicant requests an exemption from the maximum driving time limits due to the unpredictable schedules of prisons,” FMCSA wrote in the notice. “The applicant states that longer transit times pose a significant risk to public safety. The applicant cites several benefits to the requested exemption, including less time for violent prisoners to escape while in transport, lower costs due to shorter travel times, expediting the return of innocent prisoners, more time off for employees and fewer delays in achieving closure for victims of crimes.”
Huntsman Transport said that if the exemption is not granted, law enforcement and taxpayers “will be subjected to a greater burden.”
In addition, the company requested an exemption from the requirement that commercial motor vehicles must be marked with the legal name or single trade name and USDOT number of the motor carrier.
Huntsman Transport said the marking exemption is needed due to the “sensitive and high-risk nature of its operations.”
How to comment
FMCSA will accept comments on Huntsman Transport’s exemption request for 30 days. To submit a comment, go to Regulations.gov and enter Docket No. FMCSA-2024-0317. LL
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