Iowa recently joined other states in relaxing certain trucking regulations due to concern over fuel supply.
On October 28, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds issued a proclamation providing regulatory relief for fuel haulers.
The proclamation “temporarily suspends regulatory provisions of Iowa law pertaining to hours of service for crews and drivers hauling motor fuels.”
Reynolds points to snags within the fuel supply chain as a reason for the HOS waiver: “Increased demand, along with above average wait times at petroleum product terminals, have created challenges to timely access of these fuels.”
The Iowa fuel hauler HOS waiver expires on November 27, 2022.
Reynolds issued a separate proclamation allowing vehicles transporting motor fuels including gasoline, diesel #1, diesel #2, ethanol, biodiesel, aviation gas, and jet fuel to be overweight (not exceeding 90,000 pounds gross weight) without a permit.
“The proclamations apply to loads transported on all highways within Iowa (excluding the interstate system) and those which do not exceed a maximum of 90,000 pounds gross weight, do not exceed the maximum axle weight limit determined under the non-primary highway maximum gross weight table in Iowa Code § 321.463 (6) (b), by more than 12.5 percent, do not exceed the legal maximum axle weight limit of 20,000 pounds, and comply with posted limits on roads and bridges,” Reynolds’ office said in a news release.
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South Dakota and Nebraska recently issued similar orders providing regulatory relief for fuel haulers.
South Dakota Emergency Order
On October 26, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem issued an executive order providing truckers hauling liquid fuel products with relief from Hours of Service rules due to “extremely low inventories and outages of certain liquid products including gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, propane, ethyl alcohol, natural gasoline, diesel exhaust fluid, and and anhydrous ammonia.”
Nebraska Emergency Order
Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts issued an emergency declaration on November 1 providing relief from Hours of Service requirements for drivers hauling gasoline or gasoline blends, diesel, fuel oil, ethanol, propane, and biodiesel.
The order was issued because “several multiple states including Nebraska are experiencing fuel shortages due to high demand for petroleum products.”