Bill seeking permanent HOS exemption for livestock haulers

A bill seeking a permanent HOS exemption for livestock haulers was introduced and referred to committee earlier this month. 

The Hauling Exemptions for Livestock Protection (HELP) Act, HR 4500, was introduced on July 17th and referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. 

The HELP Act would allow truck drivers who haul livestock, insects, and aquatic animals to be permanently exempt from Hours of Service requirements in order to accommodate the unique and ever-changing needs of the live cargo they are carrying. The bill would build on previous temporary exemptions given to livestock haulers during COVID. 

“These provisions regulating livestock haulers have proven time and time again to be unnecessary and burdensome,” said Colorado Congressman Jeff Hurd in a Press Release. “Live animals have unique care needs and require flexibility to be safely transported along the supply chain, and frequent road closures and adverse weather makes this flexibility especially important in Colorado. The HELP Act provides this critical regulatory relief and allows haulers to continue delivering for our producers and food supply safely and effectively, as they’ve shown for over two years during the pandemic.”

“Anyone who has spent time around agriculture knows that livestock requires unique care and flexibility,” said Kansas Congressman Tracey Mann. “The Department of Transportation’s hours of service and electronic logging device rules fail to take that reality into account and puts unnecessary burdens on livestock, livestock haulers, and the nation’s food supply chain as a whole. Our bill rolls back these burdensome regulations and gives our nation’s livestock haulers the flexibility they need to keep our food supply chain strong.”

“Livestock haulers have an excellent safety record, and it’s imperative that once loaded with livestock, trucks keep moving to their final destination,” said Bonnie Eddy, Executive Director, Colorado Wool Growers Association. “In the summer, air flow is vitally important for the comfort of livestock, and minimizing hauling time in the winter is conducive to reducing stress. Onerous and unwarranted regulations negatively impact the many small, family-owned trucking businesses that provide a vital link in America’s food chain.” 

The bill promoting a permanent HOS exemption is currently awaiting review and potential amendments from the committee.