Sandy Recovery Efforts Continue as Latest Storm Moves On

Despite the arrival of another storm last night, recovery efforts from the hurricane-turned-superstorm Sandy continue throughout the Northeast, while fuel problems have a domino effect in the Southeast.
Permitting Help from the DOT.

The Federal Highway Administration is working with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the American Association of State Highway Officials to speed up permitting for carriers moving temporary mobile housing units from Maryland and Alabama to New Jersey.

Under normal circumstances, carriers have to work with states to get permits from each state they travel through. FHWA is coordinating with AASHTO to cut through some of the red tape and get all necessary permits at the same time. In addition, FHWA is also working with states to allow nighttime moves, which aren't normally allowed.

The Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is also helping speed the transport of hazardous materials - including much-needed fuel - to and from hurricane disaster areas with fast-tracked emergency special permits.

Several permits have been issued to expedite gasoline and diesel transport into New Jersey and New York. Another permit has been issued that allows a large retail store to move goods quickly from damaged stores to temporary facilities nearby so people still have access to needed goods.

Read more here.

(This is a doctored photo, but it illustrates the devastation)

Hours rule suspended for Sandy relief effort

Trucks carrying emergency-related materials to and in states affected by Hurricane Sandy are exempt from the federal hours of service rules effective Monday, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has said in a declaration.

The states included in the exemption are Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, MAssachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.

“This declaration of emergency provides relief for commercial motor vehicles operations while providing these emergency materials and services to customers in the above mentioned states during the emergency. This exemption applies only to those operations providing direct assistance to the emergency relief effort. Direct assistance terminates when a driver or commercial motor vehicle is used in interstate commerce to transport cargo or provide services not destined for the emergency relief effort or when the motor carrier operation dispatches such driver or vehicle to another location to begin operations in furtherance of commerce,” the declaration reads.

The waiver will last until midnight of Nov. 13.

Truckers roll with relief supplies to storm-ravaged area

Trucks for Arnold Transportation were ready to deploy Sunday from Louisiana with water and ready-made meals. (Photo courtesy of FEMA)The trucking industry began preparing for the Sandy before the hurricane slammed into the East Coast by staging essential cargo in strategic locations and is now working to get relief supplies to areas most impacted by the storm.

Dawn McAreavey reported on an Overdrive community Facebook page Tuesday that she was “hauling rations from Camp Minden to Westover AFB. A lot of downed trees, no power from Pa. to Ma. Turned over semi’s.”
Driver Robert Vivod wrote he was “hauling Rite Aid supplies and meds” in the affected area. He urged other truckers to be careful,  “just remember appointment times can be changed not our lives.”

Read more here.

East Coast Braces for Hurricane Sandy

UPDATED 2 p.m. EDT: Hurricane Sandy could knock out power and flood highways in heavily populated areas such as New York City and Washington, D.C., as it comes ashore today, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has declared a regional emergency, allowing for exception from some regulations for motor carriers providing emergency materials.

The national hurricane center said Hurricane Sandy was "expected to bring life-threatening storm surge flooding to the mid-Atlantic Coast, including Long Island Sound and New York Harbor."

FMCSA today declared a regional emergency that covers the states of Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.

This exempts commercial motor vehicle operations that are providing emergency materials and services from Parts 390 through 399 of the federal regulations. The exemption does not include controlled substance and alcohol use (Part 382), the commercial driver's license requirements (Part 383), the financial responsibility requirements (Part 387), or applicable size and weight requirements.
Click here to view current highway closures and restrictions in the region

Story from Truckinginfo.com