FMCSA Restores 30-Day Emergency HOS Relief Nationwide

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has restored the automatic hours-of-service relief period for qualifying regional emergencies from 14 days to 30 days. FreightWaves reported the change October 5, the same day the final rule took effect. It reverses the shorter window adopted in 2023 and applies after a regional emergency declaration by a governor, an authorized gubernatorial representative or FMCSA.

The official Federal Register rule confirms that relief is limited to commercial vehicles providing direct assistance to the declared emergency. It covers the federal HOS limits in 49 CFR 395.3 and 395.5 while drivers move essential supplies or help restore essential services. It is not a blanket waiver for every truck operating in an affected state. If the declaration or direct-assistance work ends before day 30, the automatic relief ends as well.

FMCSA said the 14-day limit produced unnecessary extension requests when disaster recovery lasted longer than two weeks. The agency estimates that returning to 30 days will reduce annual extension requests from about 50 to 25. FMCSA can still extend relief beyond 30 days when conditions warrant, but a carrier cannot assume an extension without agency action.

Carriers responding to hurricanes, floods, wildfires or other declared events should retain the declaration, dispatch records, bills of lading and documents connecting each load to direct assistance. Dispatchers should identify when ordinary commercial service resumes and place drivers back under standard limits at that point. Safety obligations do not disappear during relief: drivers must still be fit for duty, and carriers must not require operation when fatigue, weather or vehicle condition makes the trip unsafe.