FMCSA Clarifies Oil-Field HOS Exemption

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said an exemption to the federal hours-of-service rules granted to oil-field haulers will be applied based on what the truck is being used for.

In an letter to American Trucking Associations, FMCSA said the exemption applies to vehicles “used exclusively in the transportation of oil-field equipment,” regardless of whether the vehicle could be used to haul something else.

Some law enforcement agencies were denying the exemption, ATA said, because they determined the vehicle might be used at another time to haul other items.