FMCSA grants nationwide HOS waiver for fuel haulers through Dec 16
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced an immediate nationwide waiver allowing trucks hauling motor fuels to drive up to 16 hours per day, effective until December 16. Under the waiver, drivers must take a six‑hour break if they have a sleeper berth or an eight‑hour break if they do not.
The waiver replaces the standard HOS limit of 11 hours of driving within a 14‑hour window, which includes a mandatory 30‑minute break after eight hours of driving. To use the waiver, carriers must not have an out‑of‑service order, drivers must hold a valid CDL, and those with a conditional safety rating are ineligible; a physical copy of the waiver must be aboard the truck. FMCSA noted that only two other waivers remain active, one in Nebraska and one in Oregon, both tied to wildfire recovery efforts. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said the waiver helps guard against fuel shortages, lower pump costs, and ease strain on agricultural producers. The waiver took effect immediately upon announcement.
“Short-term supply chain disruptions can delay gasoline and diesel shipments, which in turn can impact freight delivery shipments,” Duffy said in the statement. “By giving truckers transporting these critical supplies the ability to drive additional hours if they are not fatigued, the agency is helping protect against shortages, lower costs for families at the pump, and reduce strain on America’s agricultural producers,” Sean Duffy, Secretary of Transportation said.
Prior to this action, FMCSA had issued mostly regional HOS waivers, with the most recent nationwide waiver lasting over two years during the COVID‑19 pandemic. The agency typically grants such waivers only for limited geographic areas, such as those tied to wildfire recovery in Nebraska and Oregon.
What we know
Waiver effective until December 16
Waiver allows up to 16 hours driving per day
Drivers with sleeper berth must take six‑hour break
Drivers without sleeper berth must take eight‑hour break
FMCSA lists only two other ongoing waivers in Nebraska and Oregon for wildfire recovery