HAULS Act can help livestock and ag haulers, Marshall says
U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-KS, has cosponsored the Haulers of Agriculture and Livestock Safety Act, a bipartisan bill that he says will deliver much-needed flexibility for livestock and ag haulers.
“Livestock and ag haulers have gone above and beyond to minimize disruptions in the food supply chain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Marshall said. “The HAULS Act provides common sense solutions to protect the safety of our roads and truck drivers, prioritize animal welfare, and ensure the timely delivery of agricultural commodities so that the people of our nation remain fed.”
Under the current rules, livestock haulers are subject to the same hours-of-service requirements as drivers moving consumer goods, despite the demands of maintaining animal health and welfare. Current hours-of-service rules allow for 11 hours of drive time, 14 hours of on-duty time, and then require 10 consecutive hours of rest.
The HAULS Act would add a 150 air-mile radius exemption under HOS regulations to the backend of hauls for those transporting livestock or agricultural commodities. This legislation also eliminates the seasonal harvest requirements for the agriculture HOS exemption (making the exemption available year-round in all states), and updates and clarifies the definition of an agricultural commodity.
