Railroads Win HOS Exemption for Unplanned Events, Land Line Media Reports
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has granted a modified hours-of-service exemption requested by the Association of American Railroads and the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, allowing eligible motor carriers to deploy drivers beyond standard limits when responding to certain unplanned main-track events.
Exemption Covers Main-Track Emergencies
FMCSA said the revised exemption limits qualifying unplanned events to incidents affecting main-track operations. The agency said the narrower definition more closely aligns the exemption with emergency provisions applicable to railroad employees under federal railroad regulations.
Eligible events include weather- and storm-related disruptions such as:
- Hurricanes
- Tornadoes
- Blizzards
- Rock and mudslides
- Track washouts
- Earthquakes
- Wildfires
Drivers May Exceed Standard HOS Limits
The exemption applies to covered drivers responding to qualifying events that occur outside their normal work hours or continue beyond those hours. It provides relief from the standard 60-hour and 70-hour on-duty limits when the specified conditions are met.
More than 200 motor carriers are expected to operate under the exemption requested by the railroad associations. The relief is intended to help carriers provide transportation and logistical support during disruptions affecting railroad main-track operations.
FMCSA Finalizes Modified Request
FMCSA’s final decision follows its review of the railroad industry’s request for broader flexibility during unplanned events. By restricting the exemption to main-track incidents and identifying the covered event types, the agency established the circumstances under which the hours-of-service relief may be used.
