FMCSA COVID Hours Waiver Not Renewed

According to Freightwaves.com, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) let a COVID-era hours-of-service waiver that included commercial vehicles transporting COVID vaccines, medical supplies, groceries, and fuel, including propane (which was added in May 2022) lapse. According to trucking news sources, the agency has no plans to renew the hours' waiver that lapsed on October 15, 2022.

"FMCSA noted in its September extension that certain cargo being hauled under the exemption had been steadily declining. In addition, ending the exemption was supported by both the American Trucking Associations and the Truck Safety Coalition – two influential groups that rarely agree on issues that come before the agency," Freightwaves.com wrote in its article announcing the waiver expiration.

Unlike other waivers we get during the heating season, the now-expired FMCSA COVID-19 hours waiver required companies to report routes and drivers that utilized the declaration. These reports are due to FMCSA every five days for as long as the company uses the declaration.