Business Insider reports the hours-of-service law has been in place since 1938, and for some truck drivers, that law will be suspended.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said that truckers who are moving goods in support of emergency relief efforts related to the COVID-19 outbreaks will temporarily not have to follow the law.
The law has never been suspended on a national level since its implementation.
States have often lifted the rule after natural disasters when consumers panic buy household goods and hospitals need medical supplies.
The current HOS law states drives can drive 11 hours within a 14-hour work period. They must then log 10 hours of off-duty time.
According to the FMCSA’s declaration, the types of loads that are exempt from HOS laws are:
-Medical supplies and equipment related to the testing, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19
-Supplies and equipment necessary for community safety, sanitation, and prevention of community transmission of COVID-19 such as masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, soap, and disinfectants
-Food for emergency restocking of stores
-Equipment, supplies, and persons necessary to establish and manage temporary housing, quarantine, and isolation facilities related to COVID-19
-Persons designated by Federal, State or local authorities for medical, isolation, or quarantine purposes
-Persons necessary to provide other medical or emergency services, the supply of which may be affected by the COVID-19 response
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