FMCSA grants HOS exemption, receives request for another

From Transport Topics.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has granted reprieve from hours-of-service rules to one group and received an exemption request from the rules from another.

According to a document published in the Federal Register on Feb. 6, FMCSA is granting the American Concrete Pavement Association exemption from two HOS rules: the 30-minute rest break provision and the requirement that shorthaul drivers using the record-of-duty status exception return to their work-reporting location within 12 hours of coming on duty.

Exemption from the 30-minute rest break provision enables drivers transporting ready-mixed concrete in vehicles other than those outfitted with rotating mixer drums to use 30 minutes or more of on-duty “waiting time” to satisfy the requirement for the 30-minute rest break, provided they do not perform any other work during the break.

The other exemption allows drivers using the record-of-duty status exception to return to their work-reporting location within 14 hours instead of the usual 12 hours.