Tight fuel supplies on the Plains have prompted Iowa to join five other states in temporarily waiving hours-of-service rules for fuel haulers. The situation also has prompted North Dakota to extend its waiver.
Iowa Gov. Chet Culver blamed refinery outages and heavy demand, noting that Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska and the Dakotas have issued similar waivers. “This was a necessary step,” Culver said Thursday, July 12. “Supplies were tight to begin with, and then after the Coffeyville, Kansas, refinery was flooded last week, supplies became very tight.” Iowa’s emergency declaration is good through Aug. 11.
Culver’s proclamation notes that fatigued or ill drivers should not operate a truck, despite the emergency. “A driver who informs a carrier that he or she needs immediate rest shall be given at least 10 consecutive hours off duty before the driver is required to return to service,” the proclamation states.
North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven issued an executive order Wednesday, July 18, extending the hours exemption for fuel haulers until Saturday, July 28. His earlier executive order expired Thursday, July 19.
