Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025:
FMCSA waives maximum driving time regs for Lower 48, D.C. heating fuel haulers
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a regional emergency declaration covering all 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C.
The agency said the declaration is “in response to severe winter storms, extreme low temperatures and fuel high demand resulting in difficulty in distribution of necessary heating fuel, including propane, natural gas, and heating oil, in the affected states, and the current and anticipated effects on people and property, including the immediate risk to public health, safety and welfare.”
The declaration waives the maximum driving time hours-of-service regulations in 49 CFR 395.3 for motor carriers and drivers providing direct assistance supporting emergency relief efforts transporting heating fuel, including propane, natural gas, and heating oil, essentially anywhere in the contiguous U.S.
FMCSA noted that direct assistance means transportation and other relief services provided by a motor carrier or its drivers for immediate restoration of essential supplies or essential services. Direct assistance does not include transportation related to long-term rehabilitation of damaged physical infrastructure after the initial threat to life and property has passed, nor does it include routine commercial deliveries, including mixed loads with a nominal quantity of qualifying emergency relief added to obtain the benefits of the declaration.

The declaration is effective through the end of the emergency, or until 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Jan. 31, whichever is earlier.
Last week, a number of individual states declared their own emergencies due to winter weather.
[Related: Winter weather prompts slew of emergencies, waiving hours and other regs]
North Carolina rep intros bill for nationwide concealed carry reciprocity
Before the filing of a lawsuit against the state of Minnesota last week on behalf of two truck drivers over state-to-state reciprocity, or lack thereof, in Minnesota firearm licensing laws, a U.S. Representative from North Carolina introduced a bill that would provide nationwide reciprocity for concealed carry license holders and for residents of so-called "Constitutional Carry" states, where permits are generally not required.
In the lawsuit filed Jan. 7, the truck drivers -- one of whom held a Texas License to Carry and the other held both a Florida Concealed Weapons License and Georgia Weapons Carry License -- sued Minnesota for not recognizing firearm permits from those and other states, alleging the state was violating their Second Amendment rights.
The bill, introduced by Rep. Richard Hudson (R-North Carolina) and co-sponsored by 159 other Representatives, if enacted would allow people with state-issued concealed carry licenses or permits to conceal a handgun in any other state. It would also allow residents of states where permits are not required to carry a concealed weapon ("Constitutional Carry" states) to carry in other states.
"Our Second Amendment right does not disappear when we cross invisible state lines, and this commonsense legislation guarantees that," Hudson said. "The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act will protect law-abiding citizens' rights to conceal carry and travel freely between states without worrying about conflicting state codes or onerous civil suits. I am proud to see such strong and widespread support, and I will not stop fighting to get this legislation signed into law."
Perhaps not surprisingly, of the 159 co-sponsors, all but two are Republicans. The two lone Democrats to support the legislation thus far are Reps. Jared Golden (D-Maine) and Mark DeSaulnier (D-California).
[Related: Truck drivers sue state over Second Amendment rights]
Bay & Bay expands flatbed division to include over-dimensional, heavy-haul freight
Bay & Bay Transportation announced this week it is expanding its flatbed services to include specialized over-dimensional and heavy-haul transportation.
Operating out of a new Minneapolis location, the 30-person team provides a strategic base for expanding Bay & Bay’s footprint in this space over time and is equipped to handle complex and highly specialized shipments, the company said. Bay & Bay added that flatbed freight would be available to owner-operators through its brokerage.
“Our expanded flatbed services demonstrate our ongoing commitment to providing exceptional solutions for our customers,” said Ross Spanier, Bay & Bay president of multi-mode logistics. “With a team of industry experts focused on delivering safe, efficient, and specialized flatbed transportation, we’re well-positioned to meet even the most demanding shipping requirements.”
The enhanced open-deck capabilities further strengthen Bay & Bay’s North America network, added Bay & Bay CEO Sam Anderson, and offer shippers greater flexibility and access to an even broader range of logistics solutions.
"We already serve many customers in the construction materials, machinery, and equipment sectors who will immediately benefit from these enhanced capabilities," he said. "At the same time, we’re excited about new opportunities in growing markets such as renewable energy projects, including wind farms and solar installations. Additionally, we see aerospace, automotive, and data centers as key areas for growth as we continue to expand our specialized services.”