Emergency HOS waivers for Baltimore bridge collapse extended

Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, July 9, 2024:

FMCSA again extends Baltimore emergency declaration

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued different short-term hold to nan emergency declaration related to the illness of nan Francis Scott Key Bridge successful Baltimore.

A authorities of emergency was declared successful nan aftermath of nan illness connected March 26. A fistful of extensions since past person kept nan declaration successful place. The astir caller hold was group to expire connected July 6.

The caller extension, published July 3, extends nan waiver done July 15.

As antecedently reported, nan pursuing centrifugal carriers and drivers are exempt from nan maximum driving clip regulations successful 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 395.3:

• Those providing nonstop assistance to nan restoration and reopening efforts astatine nan Port of Baltimore transporting instrumentality and supplies related to contiguous repairs to nan roadways and navigable waterways adjacent to nan port
• Those providing proscription related to nan removal of wreckage and debris from nan waterways providing entree to nan port

Additionally, carriers and drivers transporting commodities rerouted from nan Port of Baltimore to different East Coast ports because of nan collapse, including substance and intermodal freight, specified arsenic shipping containers and their contents, automobiles aliases different instrumentality transported successful roll-on roll-off operations specified arsenic dense work machinery and workplace instrumentality are granted emergency alleviation from nan maximum 11-hour driving clip successful 49 CFR Part 395.3(a)(3)(i), up to a maximum of 2 further hours.

Carriers and drivers hauling substance (gasoline, ethanol, propane, earthy gas, and heating oil) from Maryland’s Curtis Bay terminal (within nan Baltimore Marine Terminal area) for transportation to nan pursuing locations wrong Maryland: Anne Arundel, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Cecil County, Frederick County, Harford County, Howard County, Queen Anne’s County, and Washington County are besides exempt from nan maximum 11-hour driving time, up to a maximum of 2 further hours.

Finally, drivers and carriers successful nan supra operations who are not presently required to usage an physics logging instrumentality and don’t person an ELD installed, including those presently operating nether nan short-haul operations exception, are allowed to run without an ELD for keeping logs. Such carriers and drivers are required to support insubstantial logs and supporting documents while operating nether nan exemption.

FMCSA said it will proceed to show nan position of nan emergency and modify nan declaration if necessary.

[Related: Channel to Port of Baltimore afloat reopened to original dimensions]

Tie rod callback expands to much Volvo, Mack, Daimler units

Three awesome motortruck manufacturers are expanding recalls related to a perchance faulty necktie rods that could effect nan expertise to steer nan vehicles.

Volvo Trucks is recalling 12 exemplary twelvemonth 2025 VHD and VN units equipped pinch Hendrickson Composilite EXS20 liftable steer axle suspension assemblies, successful summation to nan previously reported 3 VN trucks, because nan necktie rod assembly shot stud could person been improperly power treated and tin fail.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents authorities that nan shot stud tin abstracted from nan conveyance becoming a roadworthy hazard, expanding nan consequence of a crash.

Dealers will inspect and switch nan necktie rod extremity assemblies arsenic necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to beryllium mailed Aug. 30. Owners whitethorn interaction Volvo Trucks customer work astatine 1-800-528-6586 pinch callback number RVXX2405. NHTSA’s callback number is 24V-503.

Similarly, Mack Trucks is recalling 59 exemplary twelvemonth 2025 LR, Granite, and Pinnacle vehicles equipped pinch Hendrickson’s Composilite EXS20 steerable assistance axle suspension assemblies successful which nan necktie rod assembly shot stud could person been improperly power treated and tin fail. Mack antecedently recalled 7 MY 2025 Anthem and Pinnacle units.

Dealers will inspect and switch nan necktie rod extremity assemblies arsenic necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to beryllium mailed Aug. 30. Owners tin interaction Mack customer work astatine 1-800-866-1177 pinch callback number SC0468. NHTSA’s callback number is 24V-504.

Daimler Trucks North America is recalling 60 exemplary twelvemonth 2025 Freightliner Cascadia, 114SD, Western Star 47X, and 49X trucks equipped pinch Hendrickson’s Composolite EXS20 steerable assistance axle suspension assemblies for nan aforesaid necktie rod rumor arsenic Mack and Volvo. Daimler antecedently recalled 540 trucks for a beforehand axle necktie rod issue.

Daimler’s remedy is presently nether development. Owner notification letters are expected to beryllium mailed Sept. 1. Owners tin interaction DTNA customer work astatine 800-745-8000 pinch callback number F1005. NHTSA’s callback number is 24V-509.

Comment play extended for fleet’s under-21 request

Those willing successful commenting connected a mini backstage fleet’s petition for a waiver to let 3 of its intrastate drivers nether nan property of 21 to run successful a different authorities now person an further 2 weeks to do so.

FMCSA published nan request from 23-truck 3 North LLC connected June 11. 3 North utilizes a fleet of specialized building instrumentality mounted connected a consecutive motortruck chassis to carrier actual for upwind turbine foundations.

The institution said that it uses a different group of CDL holders to thrust nan CMVs crossed authorities lines. Once nan trucks are crossed authorities lines, nan institution is asking FMCSA to let it to usage its 3 under-21 drivers to run nan trucks successful nan authorities wherever nan activity is being performed.

Federal regulations require that CDLs issued to drivers nether nan property of 21 beryllium marked pinch a “K” regularisation limiting them to intrastate operations successful nan driver’s authorities of domicile.

The remark period, which was primitively unfastened done July 11, was extended to July 25 because FMCSA did not make 3 North’s exertion disposable for nationalist reappraisal in nan Federal Register docket. Comments can beryllium revenge here.

[Related: Fleet seeks waiver to let under-21 intrastate drivers to run successful different state]