Governor Cooper has issued Executive Orders 75 and 77 for the “temporary suspension of motor vehicle regulations to ensure restoration of utility services and transporting essentials” to support recovery efforts due to Hurricanes Florence and Michael. The transportation waivers in Executive Order 75 on October 10, 2018 applied to 66 NC counties. Executive Order 77 on October 11, 2018 applies the transportation waivers to all 100 NC counties.
The NC Department of Public Safety (DPS) in conjunction with NCDOT have temporarily waived the maximum hours of service for drivers (Section 2, Executive Order 75) and certain size and weight restrictions and penalties (Section 3, Executive Order 75). DPS has temporarily suspended weighing vehicles used to transport livestock, poultry or crops ready to be harvested.
The waivers are in effect for (30) days or the duration of the emergency, whichever is less.
According to Commissioner of Agriculture, Steve Troxler, if anyone is mistakenly stopped while trying to transport livestock, poultry, crops or feed, they should share the executive orders with law enforcement. Specifically, Section 9 of Executive Order No. 75 states “Upon request by law enforcement officers, exempted vehicles must produce documentation sufficient to establish their loads are being used for … carrying feed for livestock and poultry, or transporting livestock and poultry, or crops ready to be harvested in the State of North Carolina.”
