HAULS Act aims to provide flexibility for livestock haulers

The Haulers of Agriculture and Livestock Safety (HAULS) Act of 2021 was reintroduced in the Senate by Senators Fischer (R-NE), Tester (D-MT), Wicker (R-MS), and Smith (D-MN) last month and more recently as a companion bill in the House by Tennessee Republican John Rose and Democrat Darren Soto of Florida. The bill would provide needed flexibilities for agricultural and livestock haulers.

The HAULS Act includes three provisions:

• Ensures the ag and livestock hours-of-service (HOS) exemptions apply year-round by striking the language currently in statute that limits the exemptions to state-defined planting and harvesting periods;

• Provides an additional 150 air-mile HOS exemption radius on the destination of a haul; and,

• Updates and clarifies the definition of “agricultural commodity”.

Current hours-of-service (HOS) rules allow for 11 hours of drive time, 14 hours of on-duty time, and then require 10 consecutive hours of rest. When transporting livestock, there is a real need for further flexibility beyond the current hours-of-service. Unlike drivers moving consumer goods, livestock haulers cannot simply idle or unload their trucks when drive time hours run out without jeopardizing animal health and welfare.

Montana Stockgrowers Association thanked Senator Tester, Senator Daines, and Representative Rosendale for signing on as cosponsors of this bipartisan bill that would deliver much-needed flexibility for livestock haulers.