Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, June 26, 2025:
Congressional letter asks FMCSA to issue HOS waivers before emergencies hit
U.S. Reps. Mike Bost (R-Illinois) and Mike Collins (R-Georgia), joined by 30 House colleagues, penned a letter earlier this month to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration urging relief from hours of service (HOS) regulations for truck drivers in advance of natural disasters and emergencies rather than after they occur.
The lawmakers called for an internal plan that provides clear and consistent HOS exemptions to ensure the uninterrupted flow of fuel and supplies during times of emergency.
“When communities are staring down the threat of a dangerous emergency, the last thing they should have to worry about is ready access to fuel for their homes and vehicles,” said Bost. “I grew up in a family trucking business; I know red tape and delays at the federal level often make it harder for truckers to do their jobs and deliver their product when it matters most. This commonsense policy change will help keep families safe and spur a quicker recovery during severe weather and supply chain disruptions.”
[Related: COVID hours waiver should open door for more flexibility: Owner-ops, groups]
FMCSA currently has the authority to issue emergency declarations under federal law, but in many cases, relief is only granted after a disaster has already impacted a region, authors of the letter noted. This can create confusion for multi-state fuel suppliers and delay critical deliveries.
The letter urges FMCSA to take steps to provide consistent, advanced regulatory relief, particularly in cases where severe weather events or emergencies are predicted, so that fuel marketers and truck drivers can better prepare and respond without unnecessary regulatory barriers.
Specifically, the letter requests that FMCSA:
- Develop internal guidance to facilitate federal declaration of an emergency and trigger automatic relief at least five days before a reliably predicted disaster or emergency.
- Implement agency policy on automatic regional relief to promote uniformity in disaster and emergency response.
[Related: CVSA to petition FMCSA to limit personal conveyance use under the hours of service]
Over-dimensional haulers reminded to keep HOS exemption in trucks
Following the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s provisional renewal of an hours of service for certain oversize/overweight haulers, the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) reminded members to keep updated documentation onboard for all moves.
The HOS waiver renewal exempts drivers from the 30-minute break requirement when working for specialized carriers transporting loads that exceed normal weight and dimensional limits and require a permit issued by a state or local government agency. SC&RA said with the provisional exemption being effective from June 17-Dec. 17, truckers wishing to take advantage of it should keep a copy of the appropriate documentation in the trucks being used for the exemption and remove any copies of the previous exemption.
SC&RA members can access a members-only FMCSA Exemption packet through the organization’s website.
[Related: Hours of service should be front and center in Trump DOT deregulatory efforts: Truckers]
ATRI updates state-level idling, sustainable practices guides
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) this week released updated versions of its Sustainability and Idling Regulations Compendiums.
For 20 years, ATRI has provided an online compendium of the various state- and local-level idling regulations that limit how long commercial vehicles can idle. ATRI continues to monitor the development of idling regulations across the country and provides the compendium as a free service to help trucking companies and truck drivers comply with the myriad state and local idling regulations.
The ATRI Sustainable Freight Practices Compendium first launched in 2014 to serve as a one-stop shop for information on sustainable freight practices that can be implemented by motor carriers and their drivers. The compendium also identifies how public sector practices such as congestion mitigation, research and testing, and the use of incentives can advance sustainable freight goals. ATRI has now updated all three sections of its Sustainable Freight Practices Compendium -- Driver, Vehicle, and Public Sector -- with the latest research and data.
“ATRI’s Sustainable Freight Practices and Idling Regulations Compendiums continue to be among the most frequently accessed pages on the ATRI website, underscoring the industry’s commitment to proactively reducing its environmental footprint,” said ATRI President Rebecca Brewster.
[Related: Custom alternative in-cab climate control system has heat, too]
Truckstop returns to ‘.com’ roots
The Truckstop.com load board, which has been operating as just Truckstop since late 2022, is going “back to our roots” and returning to the Truckstop.com name.
“It’s time for Truckstop to get back to our roots,” said Truckstop.com founder and interim CEO Scott Moscrip. “Our brand has always been known for innovating on behalf of carriers and brokers, because that’s when we’ve always been at our best. So we’re refocusing our efforts on building ways to take friction out of the spot market for you, our customers. … I know that actions speak louder than words, which is why I’ve also decided to bring back our previous name, Truckstop.com, and our previous logo of the truck.”
Moscrip said the move to go back to the previous name and logo “is my way of honoring the customers we serve and keeping us humble as we move forward.”
