(a) The regulations adopted under Section 34501 for vehicles engaged in interstate or intrastate commerce shall establish hours-of-service regulations for drivers of those vehicles that are consistent with the hours-of-service regulations adopted by the United States Department of Transportation in Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as those regulations now exist or are hereafter amended. (b) The regulations adopted under Section 34501 for vehicles engaged in intrastate commerce that are not transporting hazardous substances or hazardous waste, as those terms are defined by regulations in Section 171.8 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as those regulations now exist or are hereafter amended, shall have the following exceptions: (1) (A) The maximum driving time within a work period shall be 12 hours for a driver of a truck or truck tractor, except for a driver of a tank vehicle with a capacity of more than 500 gallons transporting flammable liquid, who shall not drive for more than 10 hours within a work period. (B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the regulations may authorize a driver to exceed the maximum driving time prescribed in subparagraph (A) and on-duty time prescribed in paragraph (2) during a state of emergency declared by the Governor when operating within the state to transport fuel, pursuant to a contract with this state or the United States, used for the purpose of refueling aircraft used in emergency-related activities, including fire suppression. (2) Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1), a motor carrier shall not permit or require a driver to drive, nor shall a driver drive, for any period after having been on duty for 80 hours in any consecutive eight days. (3) (A) A driver employed by an electrical corporation, as defined in Section 218 of the Public Utilities Code, a local publicly owned electric utility, as defined in Section 224.3 of that code, a gas corporation, as defined in Section 222 of that code, a telephone corporation, as defined in Section 234 of that code, a water corporation, as defined in Section 241 of that code, or a public water district as defined in Section 20200 of the Water Code, is exempt from all hours-of-service regulations while operating a public utility or public water district vehicle. (B) A driver hired directly as a contractor by an electrical corporation, a local publicly owned electric utility, a gas corporation, a telephone corporation, a water corporation, or a public water district, as those entities are defined in subparagraph (A), or as a subcontractor hired directly by the original contractor, is exempt from all hours-of-service regulations while operating a vehicle for the purpose of restoring utility service during an emergency on behalf of the entity that hired the original contractor. The driver shall maintain a driverâs record of duty status and shall keep a duplicate copy in their possession when driving a vehicle subject to this chapter. These records shall be presented immediately upon request by any authorized employee of the department, or any police officer or deputy sheriff. (C) For purposes of subparagraph (B), âemergencyâ means a sudden, unexpected occurrence involving a clear and imminent danger, demanding immediate action to prevent or mitigate loss of, or damage to, life, health, property, or essential public services. âUnexpected occurrenceâ includes, but is not limited to, fires, floods, earthquakes or other soil or geologic movements, riots, accidents, inclement weather, natural disaster, sabotage, or other occurrence, whether natural or man-made, that interrupts the delivery of essential services, such as electricity, medical care, sewer, water, telecommunications, and telecommunication transmissions, or otherwise immediately threatens human life or public welfare. (4) Any other exceptions applicable to drivers assigned to governmental fire suppression and prevention, as determined by the departm
‹ Prev All California sections Next ›
Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.