Winter storm prompts hours suspension for certain truckers in Oklahoma

Winter weather is expected to impact the New England area Tuesday night into Wednesday. (Photo from The Weather Channel)Winter weather is expected to impact the New England area Tuesday night into Wednesday. (Photo from The Weather Channel)

Winter Storm Jupiter, which crossed the midwest over the weekend, prompted Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin to declare a state of emergency for the state and relax hours-of-service regs for drivers providing “direct assistance” to the state for relief.

The emergency declaration was issued Thursday, Jan. 12, and is effective through Feb. 11. The declaration says direct assistance only applies to the “restoration of essential services” such as electrical, sewer, water and telecommunications, and for essential supplies such as feed, food and fuel. The declaration says direct assistance is terminated when a driver is used to transport cargo not associated with the relief effort, or when a driver is dispatched outside the relief area.

No major road closures were being reported as of Tuesday morning in the impacted states. The storm is expected to hit the New England area beginning Tuesday night into Wednesday morning with freezing rain and sleet across the Great Lakes and snow in the New England area.

Another winter storm, which has been named Kori, is expected to hit the Pacific Northwest Tuesday as well.