CCJ Daily Dispatch, Aug. 13: Grocery, paper product restocking added back to COVID hours waiver

CCJ Staff

| August 13, 2020

Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020:

COVID-19 emergency hours declaration extended into Sept.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has again extended the hours of service waiver through Sept. 14 for carriers providing direct assistance in support of COVID-19 relief efforts. The exemption was previously set to expire on Aug. 14.

The terms of the waiver are mostly the same as they were for the previous month, except FMCSA made the decision to reinstate food, paper products and other groceries for restocking of stores as a qualifying load.

The waiver now covers drivers hauling:

• Livestock and livestock feed
• Medical supplies and equipment related to the testing, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19
• Supplies and equipment necessary for community safety, sanitation and prevention of community transmission of COVID-19 such as masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, soap and disinfectants
• Food, paper products and other groceries for emergency restocking of distribution centers or stores

FMCSA notes that routine commercial deliveries, including mixed loads “with a normal quantity of qualifying emergency relief added to obtain the benefits of this emergency declaration” do not qualify as direct assistance.