FMCSA emergency declaration extended until Feb. 17

An Emergency Declaration exists for the immediate transportation of heating fuels, including propane, natural gas, and heating oil, and other fuel products, including gasoline, into Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont and Wisconsin, due to severe winter weather.

Motor carriers and drivers providing direct assistance supporting emergency relief efforts are granted emergency relief from Parts 390 – 399 of Title 49 CFR. They do not exempt drivers/carriers from the requirements relating to CDL, drug/alcohol, hazardous materials, size & weight, or State/Federal registration and tax requirements.

Direct assistance terminates when a driver or commercial motor vehicle is used in interstate commerce to transport cargo or provide services not directly supporting the emergency relief effort or when the motor carrier dispatches a driver or commercial motor vehicle to another location to begin operations in commerce. Upon termination of direct assistance to the emergency relief effort, the motor carrier and driver are subject to the requirements of 49 CFR Parts 390 through 399, except that a driver may return empty to the motor carrier’s terminal or the driver’s normal work reporting location without complying with Parts 390 through 399.

Click here to see a copy of the updated emergency declaration from FMCSA.