On March 10, INGAA filed comments to the Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act’s (FMCSA) notice of proposed rulemaking for drivers’ Hours of Service, 70 Fed. Reg. 3339 (January 24, 2005).
The comments point out that INGAA members operate pipeline service vehicles to maintain the interstate natural gas pipeline system. Given the need to maintain a safe and reliable system, INGGA requests that pipeline service vehicles be included in the definition of a utility service vehicle and exempted from the hours of service rules.
The exemption would place privately-owned pipeline companies that supply natural gas on the same regulatory footing as municipal utilities, which currently conduct exactly the same types of Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) operations, and are presently exempted from the Hours of Service regulations.
