On March 17, 2020, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued Emergency Executive Order 20-06 – Providing for Emergency Relief from Regulations to Motor Carriers and Drivers Operating in Minnesota.  This executive order provides relief for certain safety requirements to motor carriers providing direct assistance to support emergency relief efforts.  Notably to carriers reading my blog, this affects not only weight restrictions but also hours of service.  Below is a summary, as usual, the link to the order is above. And a huge thank you for what you do!

• Effective for 30 days (until April 17, 2020).
• Vehicles and drivers providing direct assistance for emergency relief efforts are exempt from certain regulations (see the order).
• “Direct assistance” means – “transportation by a motor carrier or its driver(s) incident to the immediate restoration and/or delivery of essential supplies including food, medical supplies, and household items, related to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
  • It does not include routine commercial deliveries, transportation of mixed loads (including non-emergency items).
• Among other things, it relaxes regulations relating to:
  • Weight restrictions.
  • Hours of service for carriers and drivers.
• However, a motor carrier cannot “require or allow a fatigued or ill driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle.”
• The exemption ends when the driver or vehicle used is no longer destined for the emergency relief effort or when dispatched to another location to begin operations in commerce.
• If requested, a driver who states they need immediate rest shall be relieved of all duties for 10 consecutive hours.
• Upon expiration of the executive order, all such drivers must receive at least 10 hours off duty.