Hours of service weather-related FMCSA waivers now cover 20 states
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued or extended three hours-of-service (HOS) waivers affecting truck drivers across more than 20 states, expanding the areas where certain federal driving-time limits can be temporarily relaxed.
According to the agency, two of the waivers apply to states in the Northeast and Midwest and specifically allow drivers to extend driving as part of emergency relief operations tied to weather-related needs.
HOS waivers are typically used when major weather events disrupt normal supply chains and emergency response efforts. For drivers, these waivers can provide added flexibility to complete time-sensitive loads related to relief work when conditions and demand make normal schedules difficult to maintain.
It’s important for drivers to remember that an HOS waiver is not a blanket exemption for all freight. These declarations generally apply to specific emergency relief efforts and are meant to support urgent movements connected to the disruption.
The waivers reflect a broader pattern seen during significant weather impacts: federal regulators temporarily adjust service rules in affected regions to help keep essential shipments moving while states and communities respond to operational disruptions.