The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently clarified a portion of the statutory hours-of-service exemption granted to oilfield haulers.
In a letter to the American Trucking Associations, FMCSA agreed with ATA that the 24-hour restart available under law to drivers of commercial motor vehicles “used exclusively in the transportation of oilfield equipment” must be determined by the nature of the actual operation and not by whether the CMV is “capable” of some other use.
Some oilfield haulers in the western states had reported that drivers engaged in servicing oilfields were denied the 24-hour restart because law enforcement had decided incorrectly that the truck could be used at another time to carry general freight.
ATA says this clarification will help bring consistency in enforcement and will aid oilfield haulers in the efficient utilization of drivers and equipment.
