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Regulatory Guidance

Welcome to the FMCSA Guidance Portal. This web portal is a searchable, indexed database that contains and links to all guidance documents in effect from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract.

To comment on any guidance document, or to request issuance, reconsideration, modification, or rescission of any guidance document, please identify the guidance document in your request and send it to: FMCSAguidance@dot.gov. NOTE: The FMCSAguidance mailbox is not intended to serve as a mailbox for general inquiries. For inquiries that go beyond the limited purpose of the FMCSAguidance mailbox, please call FMCSA's Information Line (800-832-5660) or visit FMCSA's "Contact Us" page to send your inquiry to the appropriate mailbox.

Subject Agency Identifier Topic Issued Date
May a truck driver use the adverse driving conditions exception if he/she has accumulated driving time and on-duty (not driving) time, that would put the driver over 14 hours or over 70 hours in 8 consecutive days? FMCSA-HOS-395.1-Q03 Hours of Service Exceptions
Are there allowances made in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) for delays caused by loading and unloading? FMCSA-HOS-395.1-Q04 Hours of Service of Exceptions
How may a driver utilize the adverse driving conditions exception or the emergency conditions exception as found in §395.1(b), to preclude an hours of service violation? FMCSA-HOS-395.1-Q05 Hours of Service Exemptions
What is considered “oilfield equipment” for the purposes of 395.1(d)(1)? FMCSA-HOS-395.1-Q07 Hours of Service Exceptions
What kinds of oilfield equipment may drivers operate while taking advantage of the special rule of Section 395.1(d)(2)? FMCSA-HOS-395.1-Q08 Hours of Service Exceptions
Are drivers required to be dedicated permanently to the oilfield industry? FMCSA-HOS-395.1-Q09 Hours of Service Exceptions
Occasionally, the driver has leftover materials that must be transported back to a motor carrier facility or service depot. Would such a return trip be covered by §395.1(d)(1)? FMCSA-HOS-395.1-Q10 Hours of Service Exceptions
May specially trained drivers of specially constructed oil well servicing vehicles cumulate the 8 consecutive hoby combining off-duty time or sleeper-berth time at a natural gas or oil well site with off duty while en route to or from the well? FMCSA-HOS-395.1-Q11 Hours of Service Exceptions
How many statute miles are equivalent to 100-air-miles? FMCSA-HOS-395.1-Q12 Hours of Service Exceptions
What documentation must a driver claiming the 100-air-mile radius exemption (§395.1(e)) have in his/her possession? FMCSA-HOS-395.1-Q13 Hours of Service Exceptions