The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has renewed an emergency declaration that provides regulated relief for truckers who bring certain goods into the COVID-19 crisis.
On August 11, the FMCSA again extended a first-of-its-kind emergency declaration through September 14, 2020. The deviation provides relief from sections 390 to 399 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), which include Hours of Service requirements .
The previous exemption was set to expire on August 14, 2020. The initial HOS exemption was issued on March 13 and has since been extended and expanded several times as the COVID-19 crisis continues.
This version of the exemption differs from the latter in that it provides regulatory relief for truckers replacing food and paper products.
See a full list of the types of loads that are covered by the deviation below.
- Fee for cattle and cattle
- Medical supplies and equipment related to the testing, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19
- Appointments and equipment required for community safety, sanitation, and prevention of COVID-19 community transmission such as masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, soap, and disinfectant
- Food, paper products and other groceries for emergency storage of distribution centers or shops
“Direct assistance does not include routine commercial deliveries, including mixed burdens with a nominal amount of emergency assistance qualification added to reap the benefits of this emergency declaration,” the FMCSA states.
The FMCSA also reiterated that the HOS exemption does not give car drivers the right to force fatal drivers to operate. Any driver who informs a motor carrier that they need rest must be given 10 hours before they are required to return to duty.
Click here to view the exemption.
