FMCSA extends Hours-of-Service waivers in 20 states due to severe weather, aiding fuel transport and emergency relief efforts.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has extended Hours-of-Service waivers to 20 states to address trucking needs arising from severe weather, as reported by New York's FreightWaves.
The waivers include both extensions and new actions, specifically covering the transport of heating fuels such as propane, natural gas, and heating oil. These waivers are set to expire on January 15 at 11:59 PM.
One waiver applies to the Northeastern states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Another waiver covers the Midwest states: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
The Northeastern waiver extends a December 12 emergency declaration linked to winter storms and a power outage at the Marcus Hook natural gas liquids facility near Philadelphia. This outage reduced propane supply and prompted New Jersey's governor to declare a state of emergency.
The Midwest waiver represents the first FMCSA action for those states, citing pipeline issues and a refinery shutdown. Enterprise Products clarified that there was no pipeline break, only product quality problems. Meanwhile, Marathon Petroleum's Robinson refinery had experienced earlier shutdowns but is not fully closed.
A third waiver extends relief in Washington state following flooding earlier this month. Unlike the fuel-specific waivers, this waiver applies broadly to commercial vehicle operations supporting emergency relief, while excluding routine deliveries.
