Household goods movers say driver need to be able to drive from a delivery to a safe parking spot even if it's past the 14-hour window. Photo: Atlas Van Lines

Household goods movers say driver need to be able to drive from a delivery to a safe parking spot even if it's past the 14-hour window. Photo: Atlas Van Lines

Household goods movers represented by the American Moving and Storage Association are asking the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for an exemption to one part of hours of service regulations.

In a Federal Register notice, set to be published Tuesday, it is asking that its 3,700 member companies be exempt from the regulation prohibiting operators of commercial motor vehicles from driving following their 14th hour after coming on duty.

“The exemption would enable AMSA’s drivers to drive their commercial motor vehicles from a residential area, after completion of household goods shipments, to the nearest place offering safety and security,” said the notice in the Federal Register. “In no case would the drivers be permitted to drive more than 75 miles or 90 minutes after the 14th hour."

Under the proposal, drivers would then have to take 10 hours off duty before driving again. The proposal would require drivers to notify their carrier each time this extension is used, and the extension would be recorded in driver logs for verification later on, including during a compliance review.

AMSA contends the exemptoin is needed because operations in the household goods moving sector are unique in the trucking industry, not only in the commodities carried, but also in the types of services provided and in how its daily operations are conducted.

The group believes that the requested exemption is comparable to the current regulation permitting certain “short-haul” drivers an increased driving window once per week, and other non-CDL short-haul drivers two such extended duty periods per week.

FMCSA says it will take comments for 30 days on the proposal, following publication in the Federal Register. It will later publish its decision and the reasons behind it.

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Evan Lockridge

Evan Lockridge

Former Business Contributing Editor

Trucking journalist since 1990, in the news business since early ‘80s.

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