Comments Due Friday on Livestock Industry’s HOS Exemption

(AMARILLO, TX) The livestock industry is encouraging members to file comments this week supporting a five-year exemption of the federal Hours of Service (HOS) requirements from the Department of Transportation (DOT). The deadline to submit comments is this Friday (03/08/19). Back in October, groups petitioned the DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) for a five-year exemption from the federal Hours of Service requirements for livestock, fish and bee haulers. Current rules limit drive time to 11 hours and on-duty hours to 14. The petition requests that livestock haulers be granted approval to drive up to 15 hours with a 16-hour on-duty period, following a 10-hour consecutive rest period. Any livestock hauler wishing to operate under the extended drive time would be required to complete pre-trip planning and increased fatigue-management training.