Federal Register #FMCSA-2020-0171

FMCSA Provisional Renewal of Hours-of-Service Exemption for Railroad Associations

This notice from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), under the Department of Transportation, announces a provisional renewal of an exemption for railroad industry associations regarding hours-of-service rules. - Government Buyer: - Department of Transportation (DOT) - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) - Associations Covered: - Association of American Railroads - American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association - Member railroads of both associations - No OEMs or commercial vendors are mentioned; this is not a procurement action. - Exemption Details: - Permits employees to operate commercial motor vehicles beyond standard hours-of-service limits - Extends the 14-hour rule to 17 hours - Extends the 60-hour/70-hour rule by up to 6 hours - Applies to unplanned events such as derailments, dangerous track conditions, weather incidents, and national security or public safety matters - Subject to specific terms and conditions: - Geographic restrictions - Mandatory fatigue management training modules - Accident reporting requirements - No products or services are being procured or requested in this notice.

Description

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces a provisional renewal for four months of the exemption granted to the Association of American Railroads and the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association and member railroads from certain hours-of-service rules. This exemption allows employees to drive beyond the 14-hour rule and the 60-hour/70-hour rule to respond to unplanned events outside or beyond normal work hours. The exemption is effective from June 19, 2026, to October 19, 2026, and FMCSA is reviewing a request for a five-year renewal. The exemption includes specific terms and conditions such as limits on extended driving hours, geographic restrictions, and mandatory training modules.

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