In this issue of the
Monday Morning Messenger, in our Top Story, TPGA further updates our members on the status of some waivers that were recently extended.
Check our first story of the morning to see the status of the RRC bobtail & transport driver certification waiver.
Additionally, the Texas Department of Public Safety has extended the hazmat endorsement expiration exemption. Find out when your hazmat endorsements expire under the exemption and when they will need to be renewed.
Additionally, since March, the industry has been able to use an Hours of Service Waiver. Although the waiver was recently renewed, fuel is not part of that renewal.
Lastly, U.S. DOT is giving employers more flexibility when it comes to pre-employment drug testing. Find out more in the last story of the morning.
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- In Brief
- RRC Driver Waiver Update
- HME Expiration Extension
- Hours of Service Exemption Conclusion
- Pre-Employment Drug Testing Waiver
- Association Quick Tabs
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Calendar
June 15, 2020
June 15-30, 2020
July 1-2, 2020
May 31 Continuing Education
& RRC Certification Renewals
extended to August 14, 2020
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RRC Bobtail & Transport Certification
Waiver Still in Effect
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Last March, a waiver was issued by the Railroad Commission of Texas at the request of the Texas Propane Gas Association. This waiver allows both bobtail (local) and transport (regional) drivers to perform delivery operations
without a Railroad Commission of Texas certification
while Governor Abbott’s State of Disaster remains in effect.
Once the COVID-19 Disaster Declaration concludes, all drivers must take and pass the required certification exam prior to resuming activities requiring certification.
The Governor's Disaster Declaration was set to expire on June 11, 2020, but was promptly renewed this past Friday another 30 days until July 12, 2020.
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CDL Hazmat Endorsement
Exemption Extended
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The United States Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration (TSA) granted a temporary exemption regarding the expiration of TSA security threat assessments for hazardous material endorsement (HME) holders.
The duration of this exemption is
March 1, 2020, to July 31, 2020
. The Texas Department of Public Safety will offer a
180-day exemption
for all HME holders who expire during this period.
The HME holder must return to the driver's license office
60 days before the exemption expires to begin the renewal process
.
For a
real-world example
, let's say your HME expires May 1, 2020, the 180-day exemption would good until October 31, 2020; however the HME holder must return to the driver license office to begin the renewal process (60 days prior) so no later than August 31, 2020 in this case scenario.
First-time hazardous materials
application requires the applicant to pass a knowledge test, obtain fingerprints, and complete a security threat assessment through TSA. During the COVID-19 shutdown, DPS is
unable to accept new applications for a hazardous materials endorsement
at this time.
Normal driver's license operations
are part of the Governor's Phase 4 of reopening and planned to
resume by mid-summer
.
FMCSA medical card waiver
is still due to expire on
June 30, 2020
. The Texas Propane Gas Association will update Members if it gets extended.
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Hours of Service Waiver Expired June 14, 2020
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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has had a hours of service waiver since March 13, 2020 for commercial motor vehicle drivers including those hauling fuel. That waiver has been continually extended.
The waiver that includes fuel
expires on June 14, 2020.
The FMCSA has extended the waiver for a limited scope that excludes fuel.
The latest extension is limited to the transportation of livestock, livestock feed, medical supplies, masks, hand sanitizer and disinfectants only.
Click here to read more about the limited hours extension that
does not apply to us.
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U.S. DOT Pre-Employment Drug Testing Waiver
Conditions Apply
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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) of the U.S Department of Transportation grants a
three-month waiver
from
certain pre-employment testing requirements
applicable to employers of drivers subject to 49 CFR part 382, the drug & alcohol testing.
Currently, prior to the first time a driver performs a safety-sensitive function for an employer, the driver must undergo pre-employment testing for controlled substances and the employer must receive a verified negative test result. This requirement also applies each time a driver returns to work after a furlough, layoff or other period of unemployment.
The waiver which went into effect June 5, 2020 and ends September 30, 2020 allows employers of CDL drivers to skip pre-employment drug testing by providing an exception allowing an employer to forgo administering a pre-employment test “
if” the driver
participated in a drug testing program that meets the FMCSA requirements within the previous 30 days, and, if while participating in that program, the driver either (1) was tested for controlled substances within the past 6 months, or (2) participated in the random drug testing program for the previous 12 months.
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