Emergency waivers enacted due to recent storms

Posted December 15, 2021

Due to the recent severe weather and tornadoes, the governor of Kentucky has declared a state of emergency and is temporarily exempting requirements for hours of service, weigh station stops, overweight/over-dimensional vehicles, and IRP registration requirements for vehicles directly involved in disaster relief.

• Relief from the hours of service applies to commercial vehicles providing power restoration and delivering gasoline, propane and diesel fuel within the affected areas. This includes commercial vehicles responding to affected areas in response to power restoration and delivering gasoline, propane and diesel fuel and debris removal. A waiver of stopping at all weigh stations also applies for these commercial vehicles responding to the affected areas.
• Commercial vehicles providing relief and vital products and their operators are exempt from the hours of service imposed under 49 CFR Part 395, 601 KAR 1:005 and KRS 281.730 during the period of the emergency.
• Commercial vehicles providing relief and vital products are also exempt from permit fees for overweight/over-dimensional vehicles.
• IRP registration requirements for commercial vehicles providing relief services and vital supplies to the affected areas are waived.

All other safety requirements remain in full force and effect.

Drivers operating under the authority of the Official Order must have a copy of the Order in the cab of the vehicle.

These exemptions are in effect until 12:01 AM EST, January 14.

Tennessee suspends IRP requirements

In addition, due to emergency declarations in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Arkansas, and the potential for emergency declarations in other states, Tennessee is granting a temporary suspension of IRP and IFTA requirements for any motor vehicle directly engaged in interstate relief efforts or traveling through Tennessee as part of disaster relief due to the recent tornadoes.

This temporary suspension is effective through January 14.  

This article was written by Corrina Peterson of J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.