FMCSA Expands Coronavirus HOS Exemptions

On March 18, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) expanded existing exemptions to further aid emergency relief efforts as the nation grapples with supply shortages. Fleets and commercial vehicles providing direct assistance in emergency relief support efforts benefit from the expanded exemptions. Examples of emergency relief support include:

1. Delivering medical tools and supplies to aid in testing, diagnosing, and treating COVID-19
2. Delivering sanitary supplies in addition to equipment needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 such as masks, gloves, soap, hand sanitizer, etc.
3. Delivering emergency food supplies to restock grocery stores
4. Delivering tools, materials, or individuals required to establish and maintain temporary housing, quarantine, or isolation facilities related to COVID-19
5. Transporting individuals identified by Federal, State, or local authorities for medical, isolation, or quarantine purposes
6. Transporting individuals that perform medical or emergency services
7. Delivering any raw materials needed to manufacture the above essential items
8. Delivering fuel

The biggest changes to the order include the addition of raw materials and fuel as exempted cargo. FMCSA further stressed this only applies to legitimate emergency relief efforts. Fleets performing routine deliveries that add an insignificant amount of emergency relief items to their load do not meet the guidelines for exemptions.

Fleets that are exempt don’t need to maintain records of duty status (RODS) logs, but FMCSA recommends making a note in the remarks section of activity logs to identify the exempt hours. This will help mitigate confusion or discrepancies in the future. Like the original declaration, drivers must receive a minimum of 10 hours off-duty time after returning from transporting property and eight hours after transporting passengers.

6 Things Not Covered by the Expanded Exemptions

Fleets and drivers must still adhere to several other safety regulations related to the following:

1. Testing for controlled substances and alcohol consumption
2. Commercial driver’s license (CDL) requirements
3. Insurance requirements
4. Transporting hazardous materials
5. Size and weight requirements
6. Any other regulations not specifically exempted by the updated emergency declaration

Some states are allowing for temporary changes to weight requirements. Many states are also offering a temporary grace period for CDLs on the verge of expiring, as many government offices are closing to adhere to the CDC’s social distancing guidelines.

Interstate Motor Carriers understands there are more questions than answers in these uncertain times. We are here to help your fleet keep pace with emergency relief demands while keeping your drivers safe and your risks in check. Contact us to learn more.