U.S. Department of Transportation Grants ‘Hours of Service’ Rule for Transporting Livestock

U.S. Department of Transportation Grants ‘Hours of Service’ Rule for Transporting Livestock

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farmc.om

The U.S. Department of Transportation said that it will allow a 90-day waiver of a new hours of service rule for truck drivers transporting livestock.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires truck drivers to take a 30-minute break for every 8 hours of service. For Truckers carrying livestock, the hours of service would also include the time it takes to load and unload animals. The new rule came into effect July 1.

A number of livestock organizations lobbied FMCSA for the 90-day waiver from complying with the new rule. The groups argued that the new rule would cause irreparable harm, placing the health and welfare of livestock at risk. The case was also made that programs offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, who already educate truck drivers on the transportation and handling of livestock.

The federal agency said it will provide a permanent exemption of the rule for drivers transporting livestock and poultry.