FMCSA exemption from HOS 30-minute rest requirement

The recently released Federal Register announcement from FMCSA grants specialized carriers an exemption from the hours of service 30-minute rest requirement. Review the notice dated June 18, 2015 – [PDF] (Dock No. FMCSA-2014-0420 starts in the middle column.)

Carriers transporting over-dimension, permitted loads, will not be required to take the 30-minute rest break required of other CDL drivers. The two year exemption goes into effect today. Additionally, the “buzz” in Washington is FMCSA is expected to issue a similar announcement tomorrow for bee keepers. No, that is not a joke.

The summary in the Federal Register reads as follows:

FMCSA announces its decision to grant the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) an exemption from the minimum 30- minute rest break provision of the Agency’s hours-of-service (HOS) regulations for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. The exemption enables all specialized carriers and drivers responsible for the transportation of loads that exceed normal weight and dimensional limits— oversize/overweight (OS/OW) loads— and require a permit issued by a government authority, to be exempt from the 30-minute rest break provision in 49 CFR 395.3(a)(3)(ii).

FMCSA has analyzed the exemption application and the public comments and has determined that the exemption, subject to the terms and conditions imposed, will achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level that would be achieved absent such exemption.

DATES: The exemption is effective June 18, 2015 and expires on June 18, 2017.