Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration July 22, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces that it has received an application from the Pipe Line Contractors Association (PLCA) for an exemption from certain hours-of-service (HOS) regulations for drivers of a variety of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) employed by its member pipeline contractors. PLCA specifically seeks an exemption from: (1) The requirement of the short-haul exception that drivers return to the work reporting location from which they started the day; (2) the requirement that drivers use electronic logging devices (ELDs) if they must complete a record of duty status (RODS) on more than 8 days in any 30- day period; and (3) the prohibition on driving after having been on duty for 70 hours in 8 consecutive days. The PLCA also requested that drivers of CMVs used exclusively in the construction and servicing of pipelines be allowed the same HOS exceptions currently available to oilfield operations. FMCSA requests public comment on PLCA's application for exemption.