The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has again extended a regional fuel emergency covering eight states and first issued last December.
Motor carriers and drivers providing emergency assistance in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming are now granted relief from the maximum driving time for property-carrying vehicles through April 16.
The declaration exempts "motor carriers and drivers providing direct assistance supporting emergency relief efforts transporting gasoline, diesel, or jet fuel into the affected states are granted emergency relief" from regulations governing maximum driving time.
According to the FMCSA, direct assistance means "transportation and other relief services provided by a motor carrier or its driver(s) incident to the immediate restoration of essential supplies or essential services. Direct assistance does not include transportation related to long-term rehabilitation of damaged physical infrastructure or routine commercial deliveries, including mixed loads with a nominal quantity of qualifying emergency relief added to obtain the benefits of this emergency declaration, after the initial threat to life and property has passed."
The emergency was issued in response to the shutdown of the Suncor refinery in Commerce City, Colorado, severe winter storms, and increased demand
The original order was amended on Dec. 31. It was then extended and amended Jan. 17 and extended again on Feb. 14.
It was to have expired March 17 before the most recent extension which extends the waiver through mid-April.
