FMCSA Suspends Hours of Service Rules in Texas for Truckers Providing Tornado Relief

Dallas, TX – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has suspended hours of service (HOS) rules in Texas for truckers and carriers providing direct relief and assistance following last weekend’s deadly tornadoes.

According to the National Weather Service, nine tornadoes were confirmed to have ripped through the greater Dallas area on Sunday leaving a path of devastation.

The strongest of the tornadoes hit the heavily populated north Dallas area, where an EF3 twister had peak winds of 140 mph (225 kph) and was on the ground for more than 15 miles (25 kilometers).

The other Texas tornadoes had wind speeds ranging from 80 mph to 135 mph (130 kph to 218 kph).

On Wednesday, the FMCSA issued a Regional Emergency Declaration after Texas Governor Gregg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 16 Texas counties on Monday.

FMCSA has issued a Regional Emergency Declaration for the state of Texas in response to severe storms and their anticipated effects on people and property, including immediate threat to human life or public welfare. See: https://t.co/JMR27sr0Xa pic.twitter.com/cwpy3OnG13
— FMCSA (@FMCSA) October 23, 2019

The Emergency Declaration provides “regulatory relief for commercial motor vehicle operations while providing direct assistance supporting emergency relief efforts transporting supplies, goods, equipment and fuel into the State of Texas, and transporting persons into and from the State of Texas, or providing other assistance in the form of emergency services during the emergency in the State of Texas from the severe storms.”

The order will be in effect until November 21, 2019.

In addition to Texas, Emergency Declarations are also currently in effect in Florida and Montana.