Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023:
A leak in a California gasoline pipeline last week that supplies gasoline and diesel to facilities in southern Nevada prompted Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo to declare a state of emergency, waiving hours of service requirements for truck drivers hauling gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined petroleum products.
The Kinder Morgan pipeline, according to Lombardo, supplies approximately 90% of the needed gas, diesel, jet fuel and other refined petroleum products to the Las Vegas Valley and surrounding areas. It was shut down last week due to a leak, but the company announced over the weekend that it had resumed operations.
Lombardo’s declaration waives the maximum driving time regulations in Part 395.3 of the hours of service regulations for fuel haulers in the state. Unless renewed, the declaration is effective through Feb. 25.
Bills introduced in both chambers of Congress earlier this month would, if passed, ensure that law enforcement can more effectively address these thefts by marking each converter with a traceable identification number and establishing converter thefts as a criminal offense.
In the Senate, the legislation was introduced by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), and in the House, the bill was introduced by Rep. Jim Baird (R-Indiana).
The Preventing Auto Recycling Thefts (PART) Act would require new vehicles to have a VIN number stamped onto the converter to allow law enforcement to link stolen parts to the vehicle from which they originated. It would also:
