WASHINGTON — Truck drivers hauling gasoline and diesel fuel in interstate commerce have additional hours-of-service (HOS) flexibility under a temporary waiver issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
The waiver, which took effect Sept. 16 and runs through Dec. 16, temporarily waives the standard HOS limits under 49 CFR 395.3 for eligible drivers transporting gasoline and diesel fuel. FMCSA says the move is intended to help keep fuel moving amid global supply disruptions and increased demand during the fall.
However, the waiver does not give drivers unlimited hours behind the wheel. Drivers operating under the waiver may drive no more than 16 hours during any 24-hour period. They must also take at least six consecutive hours in the sleeper berth during each 24-hour period — or at least eight consecutive hours off duty if the truck does not have a sleeper berth.
Drivers must have a valid CDL and all required endorsements and must carry either a physical or digital copy of the waiver while operating under it. Drivers and carriers subject to an out-of-service order are not eligible, nor are carriers with a conditional safety rating.
The waiver also includes a fatigue safeguard: If a driver tells a carrier that immediate rest is needed, the carrier must allow the driver to find a safe place to stop and take at least 10 consecutive hours off duty before driving again.
The waiver applies to eligible interstate gasoline and diesel transportation through 11:59 p.m. Dec. 16. States may adopt the same waiver or policy for intrastate operations.
To review the waiver, click here.
Linda Garner-Bunch has been with The Trucker since 2020, picking up the reins as managing editor in 2022. Linda has nearly 40 years of experience in the publishing industry, covering topics from the trucking and automotive industry to employment, real estate, home decor, crafts, cooking, weddings, high school sports — you name it, she’s written about it. She is also an experienced photographer, designer and copy editor who has a heartfelt love for the trucking industry, from the driver’s seat to the C-suite.
