The American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) has asked federal authorities to grant relief from certain regulations for fireworks haulers.
In a notice to be published in the Federal Register on April 18, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) asked for pubic comment on a request from the APA for relief for pyrotechnics haulers from certain hours-of-service and Electronic Logging Device (ELD) rules for the Independence Day period of June 28 through July 8 every year from 2025 through 2029.
The APA’s previous similar exemptions expired on July 8, 2024.
The requested exemptions would allow drivers to exclude off-duty and sleeper berth time of any length from the calculation of the 14-hour limit and to use paper records of duty status in lieu of an electronic logging device (ELD) during the designated Independence Day periods.
The APA argues that the exemptions are necessary because of the difficulty that fireworks haulers have with hours-of-service compliance during the Fourth of July period.
From the notice:
“APA asserts that compliance with the 14-hour rule is extraordinarily challenging for members of the fireworks industry during the Independence Day period. Most fireworks display shows are transported by pyrotechnicians with hazardous material safety permits in small rented or leased commercial motor vehicles which do not have sleeper berths. The pyrotechnician drives the display equipment and fireworks to the site, supervises the crew in setting up the display, waits for the display time, fires the display, and returns the equipment and remaining fireworks to a licensed storage facility.
To meet the demand for fireworks without the exemptions, APA states that its members would need to hire a second driver for most trips, which would substantially increase the cost of the fireworks shows.“
The APA requests the exemptions on behalf of 42 companies previously covered by similar exemptions as well as two new companies.
Public comments on the exemption request will be accepted for 30 days after the publication of the notice in the Federal Register.
