Refinery shutdown prompts eight-state hours of service waiver
The unanticipated shutdown of the Suncor refinery in Colorado, severe winter storms and high demand for gasoline, diesel and jet fuel have prompted the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to declare a regional emergency, waiving certain hours of service rules for carriers providing direct support to the emergency.
The Suncor refinery was shut down following a fire that broke out on Christmas Eve and injured two workers. According to the company, the fire was put out in a timely manner, but the refinery will likely be down until March after the completion of maintenance.
FMCSA said its regional emergency declaration “addresses the emergency conditions creating a need for immediate transportation of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel and provides necessary relief.”
Drivers hauling those fuels in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming are exempt from Part 395.3 (maximum driving time) of the hours of service regulations through Feb. 15, or until the end of the emergency, whichever is earlier.
Original article provided by Commercial Carrier Journal.
