InstituteFleet SafetyHours of ServiceHours of ServiceIn Depth (Level 3)Focus AreaEnglishAnalysisTransportationUSA
Hours-of-service exemptions
['Hours of Service']
- Exemptions from the HOS requirements apply to drivers of utility service vehicles, covered farm vehicles, pipeline welding trucks, certain railroad signal employees, and certain drivers of agricultural commodities or farm supplies.
In addition to the hours-of-service (HOS) exemptions provided by 390.3 and 390.23, there are some exemptions that apply only to the HOS requirements for drivers of certain vehicles, as described in 395.1. They are:
- Drivers of “utility service vehicles” as defined in 395.2;
- Drivers of “covered farm vehicles” as defined in 390.5 (these drivers are exempt from several parts of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs));
- Drivers of “pipeline welding trucks” as defined in 390.38 (these drivers are exempt from several parts of the FMCSRs);
- Certain railroad signal employees; and
- Certain drivers transporting agricultural commodities or farm supplies within a 150-air-mile radius.
‘Local’ drivers are not exempt
Local or “short-haul” drivers are not exempt from HOS. Certain interstate drivers who operate locally and return home each day may be exempt from needing a log, but they are not exempt from the HOS rules nor most other safety regulations.