(March 18, 2020) — Due to the COVID-19
emergency relief effort, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
(FMCSA) has exempted livestock haulers from compliance with federal Hours
of Service rules that limit drive time until at least April 12. Drivers
wishing to haul under this exemption are suggested to print out and keep
in their cab a copy of the Expanded Emergency Declaration, available here.
The Expanded Emergency Declaration provides relief to those drivers
hauling “food” and “immediate precursor raw materials… that are required
and to be used for the manufacture of … food.” The Livestock marketing
Association (LMA) has received official interpretation from the Office of
the Secretary of Transportation that ALL livestock movement fits these
exemption definitions. Once the driver has returned to the their “normal
reporting location,” the driver must still receive a minimum of 10 hours
off duty to rest. Source: LMA
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