FMCSA Gives Motor-Fuel Haulers 90-Day Hours-of-Service Waiver

FMCSA has issued a nationwide temporary hours-of-service waiver for drivers transporting gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other motor fuels. FreightWaves reported the action September 18. The waiver runs through December 16 and is intended to help stabilize fuel distribution while normal limits on driving and on-duty time are temporarily adjusted for this specific freight.

Eligible drivers may drive up to 16 hours during a 24-hour period. A driver using a sleeper berth must take at least six consecutive hours off duty, while a driver without sleeper-berth access must receive at least eight consecutive hours. Carriers must also allow immediate rest when a driver says fatigue or another condition makes continued operation unsafe. The relief does not suspend drug-and-alcohol rules, licensing requirements or the duty to operate safely.

The waiver is narrow. It applies to motor-fuel transportation, not general freight, and drivers must carry a physical copy in the vehicle. A valid CDL is still required. Motor carriers with an out-of-service order or conditional safety rating are not eligible, and the document does not authorize anyone to exceed vehicle, hazardous-materials or state operating requirements that remain in force.

Fuel carriers should give dispatchers and drivers a written eligibility checklist before using the relief. Confirm the commodity, preserve the waiver copy, plan the required break and document any request for rest without pressure or retaliation. Drivers should treat 16 hours as a maximum allowance, not a target. Longer legal driving time can support emergency supply movements, but fatigue risk still increases with extended duty. Safe use depends on conservative scheduling, careful pre-trip inspections and a clear stop-work decision whenever alertness declines.