DOT announced that it will provide additional assistance for fuel haul drivers in states affected by the Colonial Pipeline shutdown. Those states include Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

The agency will now all flexibility for overweight trucks transporting fuel on interstates and highways. In a press release, DOT stated “Each State must continue to follow its own procedures for issuance of special permits authorizing the loads, but the added flexibility announced today lawfully permits these trucks to run on the Interstate Highway System and other Federal highways.”

The Colonial Pipeline is currently working towards restoring their system following the ransomware attack. The company issued the following press release: “Actions taken by the Federal Government to issue a temporary hours of service exemption for motor carriers and drivers transporting refined products across Colonial’s footprint and actions taken by several Governors to lift weight restrictions on tanker trucks should help alleviate local supply disruptions. This is in addition to the Reid Vapor Pressure wavier issued today by the U.S. EPA that will also help alleviate supply constraints in several states serviced by our system.“

USDOT announces additional help for fuel haulers in 10 states affected by pipeline shutdown