Truck drivers involved in flood relief efforts in the Midwest are exempt from certain regulations, including hours of service, until April 18 or until the emergency is over. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued that regional emergency declaration late last week for Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
According to the FMCSA, the emergency declaration provides regulatory relief for commercial motor vehicle operations providing direct assistance to the emergency relief effort while transporting supplies, equipment, fuel and people into and from the affected States. Commercial motor vehicle operations providing other assistance in the form of emergency services in the affected states are also granted regulatory relief during the emergency.
The emergency order does not exempt drivers/carriers from the requirements relating to CDL, drug/alcohol, hazardous materials, or State/Federal registration and tax requirements.
