Montana Suspends HOS Rules for Some Truckers as Brutal Winter Continues
With the state’s brutal winter continuing, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock suspended hours-of-service rules Dec. 28 for truckers transporting fuel.
“Whereas the people of Montana are faced with continued extremely harsh winter conditions [and] these conditions have caused an increased short-term demand for propane, heating oil, and diesel fuel and necessitate the timely delivery of these products by commercial delivery trucks,” Bullock wrote.
“[Since] limited petroleum production in Montana has disrupted the ability of industry to provide consistent and timely availability of fuel stocks to bulk distributors, causing delay in the loading and transport times of these supplies by commercial delivery trucks … these shortages and delays may threaten the health, property and welfare of Montanans, warranting the declaration of a short-term energy emergency.”
So Bullock suspended hours of service rules for carriers actively involved in transporting propane, heating oil and diesel fuel. The suspension is open-ended.
