Freight Pulse & Law Update: FMCSA Stretches Fuel Hauls to 16 Hours as Shipping's Carbon Levy Fights for Air
FMCSA expanded its fuel-hauler hours-of-service waiver to cover ethanol, denatured ethanol and some heating-oil loads, letting eligible interstate drivers run up to 16 hours of driving in a 24-hour period through December 16, 2026. Separately, Japan wants the IMO Net-Zero Fund scrapped before the framework meeting November 30 to December 3, a move that would shift ocean carbon costs.
What does the FMCSA waiver allow?
The October 14 expansion adds products to the waiver first announced September 16. That is flexibility, not extra capacity.
Covered fuels: diesel, gasoline, ethanol and denatured ethanol. Heating oil qualifies only in a compartmentalized load with a covered fuel, capped at 75% of the load.
Driver rules: six consecutive hours in a sleeper berth, or eight hours off duty without one, every 24 hours. Drivers need a valid CDL with endorsements and must carry a copy of the waiver.
Limits: no eligibility under an out-of-service order or a conditional safety rating. Take a 10-hour break before normal operations when combined totals reach 14 hours. Carriers must track participating drivers and report qualifying crashes to FMCSA within two business days.
What is at stake in the IMO Net-Zero Fund debate?
Japan's proposal removes the mandatory carbon payment on ships' fuel in favor of surplus units and direct contributions. If a payment survives in any form, the cost lands in ocean rates as a line item.
What should shippers do?
Recheck fuel surcharges and appointment windows. The waiver adds hours, not trucks, as harvest and holiday demand compete for tank capacity.
Revisit 2027 ocean bids and contract language. Name who absorbs a carbon charge.
Keep the August 23 to 29 CVSA Brake Safety Week brake-drum-and-rotor focus on the maintenance checklist.
Regional coverage: fuel and freight shifts ripple through I-95 schedules and Mid-Atlantic fulfillment. From its Glen Burnie base, Lanta Logistics coordinates 3PL Maryland warehousing, appointments and transportation. Third party logistics providers need inventory and ecommerce fulfillment visibility as schedules move.
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