DOT may temporarily relax HOS rules for tank truckers
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Transportation Department is considering liberalizing hours-of-service rules for tanker truck drivers after working limits were blamed for fuel delivery problems in the northeast U.S. and south-central states. Nine Shell stations in the Houston area were out of fuel this week because tanker truck delays caused by the switchover to ethanol in reformulated gasoline, a spokesman told Bloomberg News. About 60 stations ran out of at least one grade of gasoline yesterday, he said. States including Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland have already extended the hours that drivers can work to meet the move to ethanol-based fuel. New Jersey raised the hour limit recently as well. New Mexico Democratic Senator Jeff Bingaman has asked the Transportation Department to extend driver hours, department spokesman Robert Johnson told Bloomberg. "We are evaluating those requests at this time,' Johnson said. "In the administration's effort to help relieve the pain at the pump for consumers, we are considering all options at this point.' A federal extension of hours would allow drivers to cross state lines under more relaxed driving limits. Under the newest HOS rules, drivers cannot drive more than 11 hours for every 10 hours they're off duty. -- from Bloomberg News