The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, working alongside the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has issued a temporary waiver aimed at helping fertilizer products reach farms during a period of supply uncertainty.

Federal officials say the action has been taken to address fertilizer shortages affecting American agriculture while maintaining an equivalent level of safety.

Global Supply Issues Prompt Federal Response

According to federal agencies, the war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have restricted global fertilizer shipments, creating concerns about supply availability during a critical application period for farmers.

In response, the Department of Agriculture has launched what it describes as a government-wide effort to strengthen fertilizer supplies in the United States.

That effort includes reducing shipping costs, expanding fertilizer production, and cutting regulatory barriers that could slow deliveries to agricultural customers. Transportation is a key part of that strategy, which led to this decision.

Certain Hours of Service and ELD Rules Are Suspended

The waiver applies to motor carriers and commercial drivers transporting straight or blended fertilizer products for commercial farming and agricultural purposes.

Under the temporary relief, certain Hours of Service requirements contained in 49 CFR 395.3 are suspended for qualifying operations.

The waiver also temporarily suspends Electronic Logging Device requirements under 49 CFR 395.8(a)(1)(i).

Waiver Remains Active Through August

The emergency relief took effect on May 26 and will remain in place until 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 26.

Drivers and carriers transporting qualifying fertilizer products in covered states may operate under the waiver throughout that period.

States Included in the Waiver

The waiver covers Alabama, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

For drivers involved in agricultural freight, the waiver provides temporary regulatory flexibility as federal agencies work to keep fertilizer moving to farms during a critical part of the growing season.

The Truck Drivers USA editorial team creates practical, driver focused content covering industry topics, job trends, and real-world decisions that impact drivers at every stage of their careers. Each article is written to provide clear, accurate information drivers can use.

Last updated: June 3, 2026

Source: Truckers News

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The provisional renewal of MPA’s waiver in November 2022, subject to public comments, has now been officially approved. Following the agency’s review of the four received comments, it concluded that the waiver maintains an equal or higher level of safety compared to adhering to the ELD mandate.

Initially granted in 2018, MPA’s request for renewal highlighted that approximately 8,300 Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) drivers, working either full- or part-time for the motion picture industry, face challenges in qualifying for short-haul driver exceptions in Hours of Service (HOS) regulations. MPA emphasized that these drivers spend an average of two hours driving daily, covering approximately 40 miles.

Given the unique nature of their work, MPA stated that the logs generated by these drivers, as well as the HOS records maintained by motor carriers, are intricate. However, through collaborative efforts, the industry has effectively managed the exchange of paper logs required by this work pattern.

MPA emphasized that the success in HOS management within the industry is based on a driver-centric system rather than vehicle-based. Each time a driver operates a CMV for a different studio or production company, there’s a need to reconcile the driver’s HOS record for the past week, which involves handling necessary paper logs. This practice is integral to the industry’s operations, allowing drivers to produce paper logs during roadside inspections for enforcement officials’ review.

FMCSA has renewed the waiver for five years, effective from Jan. 19, 2023, through Jan. 19, 2028. This decision acknowledges the industry’s unique operational requirements and ensures continued compliance with safety regulations while allowing for the use of paper logs.

Source: Commercial Carrier Journal

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