Railroad CMV Drivers Given HOS Exemption  

Railroad CMV Drivers Given HOS Exemption.pdf

On December 23, 2020 (85 FR 84096) the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced its decision to grant the application submitted by the Association of American Railroads and the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association and member railroads (collectively “the Associations”) for an exemption from the prohibition against driving after the 14th hour from the beginning of the work shift (the 14-hour rule) and the prohibition against driving after accumulating 60 hours of on duty time within seven consecutive days, or 70 hours of on duty time within 8 consecutive days (the 60-hour/70-hour).  The exemption will enable railroad employees subject to the hours-of-service (HOS) rules to respond to unplanned events that occur outside of or extend beyond an employee's normal work hours.  FMCSA concluded that granting the Associations' application is likely to achieve a level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level of safety that would be obtained in the absence of the exemption.  DATES: The exemption is effective December 23, 2020 and expires December 18, 2025.