Waivers from federal safety regulations for trucking extended in Louisiana
Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at 5:39:42 PM
Baton Rouge, LA – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announced today that waivers from federal safety regulations for trucking have been extended until March 19. These waivers include the hours-of-service regulations for carriers responding to the winter storms that occurred in February. The waivers were set to expire on March 12, but they were extended due to emergency conditions caused by winter storm damage, as well as heating and other fuel shortages.
The regulations pertaining to this waiver can be found in 49 CFR Parts 390-399. The hours-of-service regulations are in 49 CFR Part 395. These regulations are enforced by the Louisiana State Police, which actively monitors our roadways and any orders impacting safety and roadway use. These regulations can be seen on the FMCSA website here.
Additionally, DOTD Secretary Shawn D. Wilson, Ph.D. has issued an emergency order stating that the total gross weight of any vehicle or combination of vehicles shall not exceed 88,000 pounds for commercial vehicles traveling on Louisiana highways for the purpose of emergency preparedness and disaster relief efforts. This emergency order can be read here.
Call 511 or visit www.511la.org for travel information. Out-of-state travelers may call 1-888-ROAD-511(1-888-762-3511). Motorists may also monitor the LA DOTD website at www.dotd.la.gov, by selecting MYDOTD, or by visiting the DOTD Facebook and Twitter pages.