Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

- Public Information Session –

April 10, 2024
Extension of Emergency Declaration No. 2024-002 

and Hour of Service Refresher Training

April 2024
Extension of Emergency Declaration 

No. 2024-002

State of Maryland
Extension of Emergency Declaration- Overview

The Extension of Emergency Declaration provides regulatory relief for commercial motor vehicle operations while 

providing direct assistance supporting emergency relief efforts related to the emergency resulting from the collapse of 

the Francis Scott Key Bridge and partial closure of the Port of Baltimore in the State of Maryland. Direct assistance does 

not include transportation related to long-term rehabilitation of damaged physical infrastructure or routine commercial 

deliveries, after the initial threat to life and property has passed, or mixed loads with a nominal quantity of qualifying 

emergency relief added to obtain the benefits of this emergency declaration. 

In this Extension, direct assistance includes: 

1. Transportation related to the immediate restoration of essential services at the Port of Baltimore.

2. Transportation of commodities re-routed due to the disruptions to vessel traffic into the Port, subject to the 

restrictions and conditions set forth in this Extension. 

3. Transportation of fuel (gasoline, ethanol, propane, natural gas, and heating oil) from Maryland’s Curtis Bay 

terminal (within the Baltimore Marine Terminal area) for delivery to the following locations within Maryland: 

Anne Arundel, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Cecil County, Frederick County, Harford 

County, Howard County, Queen Anne’s County, and Washington County. 
Extension of Emergency Declaration- Relief Granted

The Extension of Emergency Declaration grants the following relief:

Relief from 49 CFR § 395.3, maximum driving time for property-carrying vehicles

• Motor carriers and drivers providing direct assistance related to the immediate restoration of essential services 

and reopening of the navigable waters into the Port of Baltimore and including: 

(1) transporting equipment and supplies related to immediate repairs to the roadways and navigable waterways 

adjacent to the Port of Baltimore, and 

(2) transportation related to the removal of wreckage and debris from the navigable waterways providing 

access to the Port of Baltimore 

Relief from 49 CFR § 395.3(a)(3)(i), maximum 11-hour driving time for property-carrying vehicles, up to a maximum of two additional hours

• Motor carriers and drivers transporting commodities rerouted from the Port of Baltimore to other East Coast 

ports because of the Key Bridge collapse including: fuel, intermodal freight, including shipping containers and 

their contents, automobiles, or other equipment transported in roll on roll of operations such as heavy-duty machinery and farm equipment 

• Motor carriers and drivers transporting fuel (gasoline, ethanol, propane, natural gas, and heating oil) from Maryland’s Curtis Bay terminal (within the Baltimore Marine Terminal area) for delivery to the following 

locations within Maryland: Anne Arundel, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Cecil County, 

Frederick County, Harford County, Howard County, Queen Anne’s County, and Washington County 
Extension of Emergency Declaration- Relief Granted con’t

Relief from 49 CFR § 395.8(a)(1)(i), use of electronic logging devices (ELDs) 

• Motor carriers and drivers identified by this emergency declaration who are not currently required to use an 

electronic logging device (ELD) under 49 CFR § 395.8(a) and who do not have an ELD installed, including those 

currently operating under the short-haul operations exception in 49 CFR § 395.1(e). Such carriers and drivers are 

required to maintain paper logs and supporting documents. 

This Extension does not waive any requirement for motor carriers or drivers not specifically identified. Motor carriers 

are required to comply with all other federal, state, and local laws and regulations while operating under this Extension.

This Extension of Emergency Declaration is effective April 4, 2024, and shall remain in effect until the end of the 

emergency or until 11:59 P.M. (ET), May 8, 2024, whichever is earlier. 

To read the full Extension of Emergency Declaration, visit

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/emergency-declarations
Hours of Service (HOS)

Refresher Training
Short-Haul Exception 

The short-haul exception for drivers operating a CMV requiring a commercial driver’s license (CDL) is found in § 395.1(e)(1). To qualify for the exception a driver must: 

1. Be dispatched and return to the same work reporting location each day;

2. Be released from work within 14 consecutive hours; 

3. Operate within a 150 air-mile radius (172.6 statute miles) of the work reporting location; and 

4. Have at least 10 consecutive hours off duty separating each 14 hours on duty. 

The short-haul exception allows a driver to use a time record in place of an electronic or paper RODS, provided the specific rule provisions are met. 

If the driver cannot meet the terms of the short-haul exception (e.g., the driver goes beyond the distance limitation, works too many hours, or does not return to the original work reporting location), the driver must complete a RODS for that day as soon as the exception no longer applies. 

Drivers granted relief by this Extension of Emergency Declaration, who are not currently 

required to use an ELD and do not have one installed in their vehicle may complete paper RODS for the duration of the emergency declaration.
HOS Duty Status Categories

Off Duty: The driver must be relieved of all duty and 

responsibility for the care and custody of the vehicle, its 

accessories, and any cargo or passengers it may be carrying.

Driving: The time a driver spends at the driving controls of a 

commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in operation.

On Duty, Not Driving: On-duty time begins when the driver starts 

work for the day or when he/she is required to be in readiness to 

work. It ends when the driver is relieved of all work 

responsibilities.

Sleeper Berth: Time actually spent in the sleeper berth of a 

vehicle, used to obtain off duty time by the driver 

Time spent in the driver’s seat of the vehicle, 

waiting to enter/exit or within a Port may be considered driving time
Hours of Service Limits

PROPERTY-CARRYING DRIVERS: §395.3 

11-Hour Driving Limit

May drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off 

duty.

• Maximum of 2 additional hours (up to 13) provided for

transportation related to commodities rerouted from the Port 

of Baltimore and fuel transportation within the specified 

Baltimore Metropolitan Areas

• Waived for transportation related to the immediate restoration 

of essential services and reopening of the Port of Baltimore and 

adjacent navigable waterways

14-Hour Limit

May not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on 

duty, following 10 consecutive hours off duty. Off-duty time does 

not extend the 14-hour period.

• Waived for transportation related to the immediate restoration 

of essential services and reopening of the Port of Baltimore and 

adjacent navigable waterways

30-Minute Driving Break

Drivers must take a 30-minute break when they have driven for a 

period of 8 cumulative hours without at least a 30-minute 

interruption. The break may be satisfied by any non-driving period 

of 30 consecutive minutes (i.e., on-duty not driving, off-duty, sleeper 

berth, or any combination of these taken consecutively).

• Waived for transportation related to the immediate restoration 

of essential services and reopening of the Port of Baltimore and 

adjacent navigable waterways

60/70-Hour Limit

May not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days. A 

driver may restart a 7/8 consecutive day period after taking 34 or 

more consecutive hours off duty.

• Waived for transportation related to the immediate restoration 

of essential services and reopening of the Port of Baltimore and 

adjacent navigable waterways
Record of Duty Status (RODS)

• If utilizing this emergency declaration, a 

paper RODS, also known as a log book, may 

be completed instead of recording time 

worked on an ELD. 

• RODS must be fully completed each day. The 

information recorded must be accurate, 

including duty status, times, and locations. All 

off duty time must be recorded as well.

• A driver must keep the completed log for the 

previous 7 consecutive days in the vehicle 

with him. If stopped for an inspection, the 

current day’s RODS, plus the previous 7 days, 

must be available for inspection by law 

enforcement officers.
RODS- Completing Graph Grid

• A driver must keep the grid on the log current to the last change of duty status by drawing a line through the 

appropriate duty status on the graph grid that matches with the 24-hour time of the day (military time). This must 

be updated throughout the day with each change in duty status (off duty, on duty, or driving).

• Each time a driver changes duty status, he must write down the name of the city, town, or village, and State 

abbreviation, in the Remarks section. A driver may write other things in the Remarks section, such as shipping 

information or a note about adverse driving conditions.
RODS- Form and Manner

The information on the RODS must be fully 

completed each day. This is also known as “form and 

manner” information.

• Date

• Total miles driving today

• Truck or tractor and trailer number

• Name of carrier

• Main office address

• Your signature

• Name of co-driver (if applicable)

• Total hours

• Shipping document number(s), or name of shipper 

and commodity
Supporting Documents and Record Retention 

RODS and supporting documents must be submitted by the driver to the motor carrier 

within 13 days. Motor Carriers must retain RODS and supporting documents for 6 

months.

Supporting documents can include:

• Bill of Lading/ Manifest/ Shipping Paper

• Fuel receipts

• Toll receipts and/or EZ Pass statements

• Terminal Interchange Receipt (TIR)

Additional HOS resources: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-of-service
Travel Impacts & Driver Resources
March 25, 5PM April 3, 5PM

Impact to Truck Travel Times 

These maps show where trips are taking two to three times longer for CMVs. Drivers must add two to three 

times more travel time to ensure an on-time delivery using roadways that are red and purple.
Resources for Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers
Baltimore Bridge Collapse Updates:

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/newsroom/baltimore-bridgecollapse-update-emergency-declaration-extension-issuedfmcsa

For questions regarding the 

Emergency Declaration, 

email FMCSADeclaration@dot.gov

or call 877-831-2250

For questions regarding HOS, 

email hoursofservice@dot.gov