US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says the Trump administration is temporarily relaxing rules on hours of service by truck drivers handling gasoline and diesel, citing supply and cost concerns.
The 90-day waiver takes effect on Wednesday, allowing drivers to operate up to 16 hours within a 24-hour window, versus 14 under existing rules, so long as they take required rest breaks.
Duffy says the waiver was because short-term supply chain disruptions could delay gasoline and diesel shipments, which could affect freight deliveries.
The move comes as the US average diesel price hit a record of $6.29 a gallon, up from $3.74 a year ago, according to the Energy Information Administration, as the US-Israel war on Iran and Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries squeeze supply.
