Federal regulators plan to extend and merge two earlier waivers for Cleveland-Cliffs Steel, the company formerly known as ArcelorMittal Indiana Harbor. The waivers cover relaxed shift limits for its in-house CDL drivers and equipment exceptions for its purpose-built coil haulers. The agency is taking public input on the interim extension.
Key Points
- Cliffs' CDL-holding staff moving steel coils or scrap between the firm's plants and shipping areas may stay on duty for as many as 16 straight hours.
- Drivers may resume work after a minimum 8-hour rest break when operations call for it.
- Specialized coil-hauling rigs that fall outside the federal definition of a heavy hauler trailer can keep running.
- The same relief covers rules on rear side marker lamp height, tire load limits, and the commodity-specific tie-down standards for metal coils.
- Equipment relief applies solely to the coil carriers, so scrap trucks must still satisfy the standard parts and accessories rules.
Why It Matters
The decision sets out which hours and equipment standards a major steel producer's in-plant fleet can bypass, while keeping scrap trucks bound by the usual vehicle requirements.