The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has extended the hours of service exemption for truck drivers delivering fresh produce and other food during the Covid-19 pandemic by a month.

The organization's initial order on March 13 the waived the restriction until April 12, but it's now been extended until May 16.

"Because emergency conditions have not abated, FMCSA is extending Emergency Declaration No. 2020-002 and associated regulatory relief," it said. 

"This extension of the Emergency Declaration addresses national emergency conditions that create a need for immediate transportation of essential supplies, equipment and persons, and provides necessary relief from the FMCSRs for motor carriers and drivers engaged in the transport of essential supplies, equipment and persons."

Under non-emergency rules, drivers can work a 14-hour day, 11 hours of which can be drive time under most circumstances. Drivers are required to rest for 10 consecutive hours in order to rest their daily clocks, with a few exceptions.

Jason Craig, director of government affairs at leading logistics company C.H. Robinson, said in a blog post last month that while it is common for FMCSA to issue these declarations for loads involved with disaster response, this declaration may be the "broadest" it has ever issued.