WASHINGTON, DC— The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will exempt drivers of vehicles hauling livestock from the 30-minute break requirement during the first eight hours of a shift. The exemption will remain in place for one year only.

The Ontario Trucking Association says the exemption also applies to Canadian drivers operating into and in the U.S.

The exemption began June 11, 2014 and expires June 11, 2015.  It is applicable during the transportation of livestock (meaning the truck must be loaded) and does not cover operations after the livestock are unloaded from the vehicle.

In 2013, FMCSA granted livestock haulers a 90-day waiver during the hot summer months with no adverse effects on safety. A release from FMCSA says the agency has received four petitions for exemptions from the 30-minute break requirement of the HOS rule.

Livestock for the purposes of this exemption means:

• Cattle (including dairy producing cattle);
•  Elk;
• Reindeer;
• Bison;
• Horses;
• Deer;
• Sheep;
• Goats;
• Pigs;
• Poultry (including egg-producing poultry);
• Fish used for food.

To be eligible for the exemption, carriers must have a “satisfactory” FMCSA issued safety rating or are “unrated.” Motor carriers with “conditional” or “unsatisfactory” safety ratings issued by FMCSA cannot have the exemption.

The notice can be viewed in the Federal Register.