Fuel Truck Drivers Can Now Work Up to 16 Hours Under a 90-Day Federal Waiver

Truck drivers hauling gasoline and diesel can temporarily operate for as many as 16 hours within a 24-hour window under a new federal waiver. The Department of Transportation says the 90-day change is intended to give fuel shipments more flexibility during short-term supply disruptions.

The Waiver Changes the Work Window, Not the Rest Requirement

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued the waiver on September 16. DOT says qualifying drivers may operate for up to 16 hours in a 24-hour period as long as they continue taking required rest breaks and are not fatigued.

The flexibility is limited to drivers and motor carriers in good standing. DOT says carriers with a conditional safety rating or an active out-of-service order are excluded from using the waiver.

The Federal Government Tied the Change to Fuel Deliveries

DOT said short-term supply-chain disruptions can delay gasoline and diesel shipments and create pressure on other freight movement. The agency framed the waiver as a way to keep fuel moving during those disruptions rather than as a permanent rewrite of trucking-hour rules.

The order also requires carriers to report incidents to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration within two business days. Drivers who become fatigued are required to stop and rest.

The Clock on the Waiver Is Already Running

The 90-day period began September 16, which makes the rule temporary and gives the agency a defined window to monitor how the flexibility is used. The immediate public-facing consequence is that fuel haulers can spend more time within a daily operating window while the waiver remains active.

Whether the temporary change materially affects local fuel supply or prices will depend on conditions during the waiver period. The confirmed change today is the expanded 16-hour operating window for qualifying fuel deliveries.

References: Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Takes Action to Lower Fuel Costs