Just as the 2025 hurricane season begins, legislators are asking federal regulators to exempt truckers from hours of service regulations days before any natural disaster or other emergency strikes, instead of after.
U.S. Reps. Mike Bost and Mike Collins, along with 31 other lawmakers, recently called on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Adinistration to provide relief from hours of service regulations days ahead of major disasters and emergencies and in response to regional events to allow truckers to provide quicker and more consistent relief.
The letter also said "to enhance state and regional preparedness and recovery efforts, a preemptive and proactive HOS exemptions policy is imperative for the immediate restoration of essential services and supplies in interstate commerce."
The legislators asked FMCSA to:
- Develop internal guidance to facilitate federal declaration of an emergency and trigger automatic relief at least 5 days before a reliably predicted disaster or emergency.
- Implement agency policy on automatic regional relief to promote uniformity in disaster and emergency response.
The letter concluded, "Establishing clear internal guidance on the issuance of regional relief will eliminate confusion when drivers must rely on multiple declarations to transport fuel across state lines. Clarity and consistency will enable drivers to make the best route decisions for the efficient restoration of essential fuel supplies."
