FMCSA Needs Enter on COVID Emergency Declaration

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The Federal Motor Service Security Administration is in search of public touch upon whether or not the security and provide chain advantages of its COVID-19 nationwide emergency declaration advantage extending the present declaration after it expires Oct. 15.

The company mentioned it desires to know the extent to which motor carriers depend on the emergency declaration to “ship sure commodities and whether or not there was any affect on security.”

FMCSA in a Sept. 7 Federal Register publish mentioned it wish to see any information or data it ought to use in figuring out whether or not continued extension or modification of the declaration is required, and on the security and provide chain impacts of the emergency declaration.

“The company seeks public touch upon the utilization of the emergency declaration for the coated merchandise,” it mentioned. “Particularly, if the utilization is match for the supposed function of the restricted aid. Commenters are inspired to share with the company the supply of the information or data and supply suggestions on extra actions the company ought to contemplate in monitoring the usage of the declaration.”

The company mentioned it is going to obtain feedback on the declaration data request via Sept. 21.

FMCSA first issued the emergency declaration in March 2020, and has prolonged it periodically for greater than two years because the pandemic has persevered.

The unique declaration offers hours-of-service regulatory aid to business automobile drivers transporting important provides and gear wanted for carriers and drivers to maintain meals on grocery retailer cabinets and drugs out there for remedy at hospitals and with physicians and nurses.

It additionally offered for the continued transport of provides and gear obligatory for group security, sanitation and prevention of group transmission of COVID-19 with masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, cleaning soap and disinfectants.

Nonetheless, the expanded declaration stipulates that direct help doesn’t embody routine business deliveries, together with blended hundreds with a nominal amount of qualifying emergency aid added to acquire the advantages of the emergency declaration, the company mentioned.

FMCSA mentioned it believes the emergency declaration and subsequent extensions have offered the transportation trade important regulatory aid in supporting the nation’s efforts to handle the challenges related to responding to the COVID-19 emergency. Since September 2021, FMCSA has requested that motor carriers working underneath the emergency declaration report sure data to the company.

“This data included the variety of journeys performed underneath the declaration and the commodities transported,” the company mentioned. “Based mostly on a evaluation of the carriers’ self-reported data, the first classes of commodities transported underneath the declaration are: meals, paper merchandise and different groceries for emergency restocking of distribution facilities or shops; and livestock and livestock feed.”

FMCSA mentioned that two classes which have seen the utilization between October 2021 and July 2022 lower by virtually 50%: medical provides and gear associated to the testing, prognosis and remedy of COVID-19; and provides and gear obligatory for group security, sanitation and prevention of group transmission of COVID.