U.S. Department of Transportation grants 90-day hours-of-service waiver for fertilizer haulers across 35 states

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a temporary waiver exempting fertilizer haulers in 35 states from select federal hours-of-service requirements, giving carriers and drivers greater flexibility during the summer application season.

The waiver took effect May 26 and will remain in place through August 26, 2026. It applies to carriers and drivers transporting straight or blended fertilizer products for commercial farming in interstate commerce. The exemption was granted at the request of The Fertilizer Institute.

Under the waiver, drivers may operate up to 16 hours within a 24-hour period and are exempt from electronic logging device requirements for duty status reporting. Drivers must still take at least one six-hour sleeper berth break every 24 hours, or an eight-hour break if a sleeper berth is unavailable. Standard federal rules typically limit on-duty periods to 14 consecutive hours and require 10 consecutive hours off duty before a new driving period.

The exemption applies to Alabama, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. It does not apply to hazardous materials transportation.

Corey Rosenbusch welcomed the measure, stating that the temporary flexibility may reduce strain on the fertilizer distribution system and help prevent supply bottlenecks during a critical period for agriculture.

The waiver is part of a broader U.S. government initiative to address rising fertilizer costs and supply chain challenges. Recent federal actions include the USDA’s Fertilizer Production Expansion Program and reviews of trade measures affecting fertilizer imports.

Source: DTN / FMCSA