In The News

Hours rules lifted for oil spill

Federal officials temporarily have lifted hours-of-service rules for haulers of some emergency supplies to four southeast coastal states because of the oil spill off Louisiana’s coast.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration declared a regional emergency affecting Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida for April 30 through 11:59 p.m. EDT, May 14.

On April 20, an explosion and fire on an oil rig, which subsequently sunk, resulted in a major oil spill known as the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill. The resulting oil slick is threatening the four coastal states.

Haulers of certain loads are temporarily exempt from HOS if transporting to or from the states, both within the affected region and outside it.

The declaration affects transport of equipment to seal the ruptured well head and repair it and adjacent pipelines; booms, skimmers, chemical dispersants, flammable liquids; oil containment equipment and other equipment and supplies and materials used for direct assistance for related emergency relief.

Motor carriers or drivers subject to an out-of-service order are not exempt until the order expires or they have met the conditions for its rescission.

Drivers operating under this declaration must have a copy of it in their possession.

More information is available here.

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