The American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association petitioned the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to extend driving hours for transport of livestock.  The petition requested sixteen consecutive hours after a ten-hour off-duty period.

The FMCSA determined that the level of safety would be compromised by granting the petition.  The need to restrict stops while transporting livestock especially during warm is self-evident.  The problem of restricting service could be resolved using by team drivers although this would increase cost of transport.  Under agricultural exemptions, livestock haulers are exempt from hours of service restrictions if operating within a 150-mile radius.

Under general conditions, drivers hauling live broilers, turkeys or feed for a complex would operate within the 150-mile radius.  The problem occurs with transportation of day-old breeder chicks and started pullets that may travel over long distances from hatcheries or rearing farms during delivery.