Freight Pulse & Law Update: FMCSA Grants Fuel Haulers a 90-Day Hours Waiver as Roadside Inspections Dwindle
FMCSA issued a 90-day emergency waiver on September 16 allowing qualified gasoline and diesel haulers to operate up to 16 hours within a 24-hour window, compared with the standard 14-hour limit. The relief addresses fuel-supply strain, but declining roadside inspections raise a separate safety and carrier-vetting concern.
What does the FMCSA waiver change?
The waiver applies only to fuel transportation and does not remove core safety duties.
Drivers must take required rest breaks.
Drivers needing immediate rest must take 10 consecutive hours off-duty.
Carriers with conditional safety ratings or active out-of-service orders are excluded.
Incidents must be reported to FMCSA within two business days.
Treat the waiver as a capacity-and-safety tradeoff, not a blanket relaxation of compliance.
Why does the inspection gap matter?
A September 17 CBS News investigation found inspections per mile are down roughly 20% since 2016. Nearly 60% of interstate trucking companies had no inspection in 2025, while inspection volume through July 2026 was down about 3% year over year despite higher truck traffic.
CVSA Brake Safety Week, held August 23–29, 2026, reinforces the point: shippers cannot assume roadside enforcement will identify every unsafe vehicle.
Require current maintenance and inspection records.
Vet carrier safety ratings before tendering freight.
Confirm hazmat, driver, equipment, and insurance compliance.
What freight-market signals matter?
Diesel is approximately $6.26–$6.29 per gallon. Spot truckload linehaul is near $3.42 per mile, tender rejections are roughly 13.45%–14% versus 5.5% last year, and dry-van capacity remains tight.
Ocean exposure also remains elevated:
China–U.S. West Coast: approximately $7,300–$8,000 per FEU.
East Coast: approaching $10,000–$11,000 per FEU.
Carriers are blanking roughly 11% of East-West voyages through mid-October, with emergency surcharges affecting Gulf- and Hormuz-bound cargo.
How should shippers respond?
Use third party logistics providers and supply chain management companies that document carrier performance, safety, and shipment status. Brands evaluating 3PL Maryland, Mid-Atlantic fulfillment, a food-grade warehouse, or a Hazmat certified 3PL should also connect transportation data with inventory management for ecommerce and 3PL fulfillment services.
FlowOps by Lanta is operator-built warehouse management system and logistics software: $99/mo flat rate, unlimited SKUs, patent-pending Agentic AI, 20+ integrated modules, and real-time visibility. Explore FlowOps or compare plans.
Lanta Logistics helps growing brands manage risk, capacity, and execution from its Glen Burnie warehouse.
Disclaimer: This article is informational only and is not legal advice.
Sources
Comments