The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration extended two regional emergency declarations covering truck drivers hauling certain commodities in a total of 21 states.
One declaration was originally issued Dec. 12 as a result of winter storms, cold weather and a power outage at the Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, refinery. It gave relief from the maximum driving time regulations in 49 CFR 395.3 for drivers transporting heating fuel including propane, natural gas, and heating oil.
The declaration was extended on Dec. 23, then again on Jan. 15. FMCSA is now extending it once again for drivers in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and West Virginia. It is effective through Feb. 28.
Another regional emergency declaration was issued Dec. 23 due to winter storms, colder than normal weather, a pipeline break and operations issues associated with the Mid-American Pipeline System -- an unexpected shutdown of the Robinson Refinery, too. Regs waivers in that case included drivers hauling heating fuel including propane, natural gas, and heating oil in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
This declaration was also extended on Jan. 15. Because emergency conditions have not abated, the new extension is effective through Feb. 28.
The relief granted by both declarations applies regardless of the origin of the trip, so long as the carrier or driver is providing direct assistance to the emergency in the affected states.
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