S. 3552 — HAULS Act of 2025

This section revises hours-of-service exemptions for commercial motor vehicle drivers transporting agricultural commodities and farm supplies under Section 229 of the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 (49 U.S.C. 31136 note). (These exemptions allow drivers to exceed standard hours-of-service limits prescribed under 49 U.S.C. 31136 to facilitate timely agricultural transport.) Specifically, the section (1) eliminates the prior limitation that the exemption for agricultural commodities applies only during state-determined planting and harvest periods and specifies that it applies to drivers transporting such commodities within a 150 air-mile radius from the source or destination; and (2) in the definition of farm supplies, strikes the prior limitation to items transported during state-determined planting and harvesting seasons (with livestock feed exempt at any time) and inserts "and livestock feed." (Thus, both exemptions apply year-round.)

This section revises the definition of "agricultural commodity" in section 229(e)(7) of the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 (49 U.S.C. 31136 note) to reference the definition in 49 CFR 395.2 (or successor regulation). It further directs the Secretary of Transportation, not later than 180 days after enactment, to revise that CFR definition to include (1) any nonprocessed product planted or harvested for food, feed, fuel, or fiber; (2) nonhuman living animals (i.e., fish, insects, livestock) and their nonprocessed products (i.e., milk, eggs, honey); (3) nonprocessed forestry, aquacultural, horticultural, and floricultural commodities; (4) fresh or minimally processed fruits and vegetables (including those rinsed, cooled, cut, ripened, or otherwise minimally processed, as determined by the Secretary); and (5) animal feed, including ingredients. (As background, the definition determines eligibility for exemptions from hours-of-service limits and other commercial motor vehicle safety regulations for drivers transporting such commodities.)