With Hurricane Helene bearing down on the Florida coastline Thursday, five states have issued emergency declarations to assist in relief efforts.
According to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center, the storm is forecast to move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico throughout the day Thursday and cross the Florida Big Bend coast Thursday evening. After landfall, Helene is expected to turn northwest and slow down over the Tennessee Valley on Friday and Saturday.
As of Thursday morning, Helene had intensified to a Category 2 hurricane. AccuWeather meteorologists are forecasting that the storm could become a Category 4 hurricane before making landfall
Officials in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Kentucky have issued emergency declarations to assist in relief efforts.
In Florida, the maximum driving time hours of service regulations (49 CFR 395.3) are waived for motor carriers and drivers providing emergency relief through Oct. 7. The state has also waived registration requirements for trucks entering the state “to provide emergency services or supplies, to transport emergency equipment, supplies, or personnel, or to transport FEMA mobile homes or office style mobile homes into or from Florida.”
Additionally, Florida has suspended the enforcement of the licensing and registration requirements under IFTA and the IRP for carriers and drivers responding to the storm. Recordkeeping and other applicable requirements for existing IFTA and IRP licensees and registrants are not affected by the order, however.
In Georgia, the maximum driving hours regs were also suspended for relief haulers. The state also waived size and weight regulations on state highways excluding interstates. Under the waiver, 5-axle vehicles can haul up to 95,000 pounds with a maximum width of 10 feet and length of 100 feet. If the width of the truck exceeds 8.5 feet and is traveling after daylight (30 minutes before sunset to 30 minutes after sunrise), a front and rear escort is required on two-lane highways and a rear escort required on 4-lane highways.
South Carolina’s declaration waives hours of service regulations for carriers and drivers providing direct assistance to emergency conditions in the state or other states impacted by the storm.
North Carolina’s waiver also exempts certain drivers from hours regs, including those transporting essential fuels, food, water, non-alcoholic beverages, medical supplies, feed for livestock and poultry; those transporting livestock, poultry, and crops ready to be harvested; and vehicles used in the restoration of utility and transportation services.
Finally, in Kentucky, HOS regs are waived for drivers traveling through the state to affected areas in other states.
