Montana Extends Federal Fuel-Hauling Hours Relief to In-State Carriers

Executive Order 10-2026 applies FMCSA's Sept. 16 hours-of-service waiver to intrastate gasoline and diesel haulers through Dec. 16.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte on Sept. 25 signed Executive Order 10-2026 adopting the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's temporary hours-of-service relief for fuel haulers and extending it to drivers who operate only within the state, the governor's office said.

FMCSA issued the waiver on Sept. 16 to give interstate fuel truck drivers added flexibility under federal hours-of-service rules in response to anticipated increases in fuel demand and ongoing global supply chain pressures, according to the announcement. The federal waiver expressly invited states to extend the same relief to intrastate drivers.

"Montana families, farmers, and businesses depend on a steady, reliable supply of gasoline and diesel," Gianforte said. "This order makes sure our in-state fuel haulers can operate under the same rules as interstate drivers, so fuel keeps moving without unnecessary red tape."

Under the order, the Montana Department of Transportation's Motor Carrier Services Division will apply the same hours-of-service terms to intrastate gasoline and diesel haulers that FMCSA applies to interstate carriers, including the required rest breaks and driver safety protections built into the federal waiver. The order covers no other type of cargo and leaves all other state and federal safety requirements in place.

The order took effect immediately and runs through Dec. 16, 2026, matching the duration of the federal waiver, unless it is extended, rescinded or modified.

What it means

Montana carriers that haul gasoline or diesel entirely within the state can now use the same relaxed hours terms as interstate fuel haulers for the next three months. Carriers hauling anything else, and fuel haulers in states that have not acted, remain under normal hours-of-service limits. Other governors may follow, since FMCSA built the state extension into the federal waiver itself.

What's next

The Montana order and the federal waiver both expire Dec. 16, 2026, unless extended. Watch for similar executive orders in other states and for any FMCSA extension of the underlying waiver.

Sources

• Governor Gianforte Issues Executive Order to Extend Federal Fuel Hauling Flexibility to Montana Carriers — State of Montana Newsroom (.gov) (via Google News), 2026-09-26