FMCSA provisionally consolidated and renewed narrow HOS and vehicle-rule exemptions for Cleveland-Cliffs steel and scrap movements in East Chicago through March 23, 2027.
FMCSA published the provisional renewal on September 30
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published a notice provisionally renewing and consolidating two existing exemptions for Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC. The action concerns employee-drivers and specialized vehicles moving steel coils or scrap metal between production and shipping areas at the company's East Chicago, Indiana facility.
The stated effective period is six months
The notice says the consolidated exemption took effect September 23, 2026 and runs through March 23, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. local time unless revoked earlier. Cleveland-Cliffs requested a five-year renewal, but the operative grant expressly describes a six-month provisional period while FMCSA receives public comments.
Comments are due October 30
FMCSA is accepting comments through October 30, 2026 under docket FMCSA-2016-0050. The agency specifically requests information about the safety performance of the covered drivers and vehicles and whether the consolidated exemption would maintain a safety level equivalent to or greater than compliance without the exemption.
The HOS relief is limited to Cleveland-Cliffs employee-drivers
Covered employee-drivers with CDLs may work up to 16 consecutive hours in a duty period and return to work after at least eight hours off duty when necessary. The relief applies only when those drivers transport steel coils or scrap metal between the production and shipping locations identified in the application.
It does not create a general 16-hour rule
The notice does not extend hours for other carriers, steel haulers, local drivers or the public. Drivers outside the specifically covered Cleveland-Cliffs operation remain subject to the ordinary rules and any other exception that independently applies. Even covered drivers and vehicles must comply with all Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations not expressly exempted.
Public-road use is restricted to two short crossings
Vehicles operating under the exemption may use public roadways only at Riley Road, where the movement is approximately 80 feet, and at Dickey Road and 129th Street, where the movement is approximately 0.2 mile. The public-road travel must be for moving coils or scrap between portions of the facility.
Specialized coil carriers receive additional vehicle relief
The exemption from sections 393.5, 393.11 Table 1 footnote 4, 393.75(f) and 393.120 applies exclusively to specialized commercial motor vehicles used to carry steel coils. Those provisions concern the heavy-hauler-trailer definition, rear side-marker-lamp mounting height, tire loading and commodity-specific metal-coil securement.
Scrap trucks remain subject to Part 393
The company's scrap trucks receive the limited hours-of-service relief but are not covered by the specified Parts and Accessories exemptions. FMCSA says they must comply with all applicable Part 393 requirements. The notice also states that Cleveland-Cliffs must maintain any state or local oversize or overweight permits required for covered operations.
The vehicles have an unusual operating profile
Cleveland-Cliffs told FMCSA that its specialized coil-carrier combinations can weigh about 77,000 pounds unloaded and as much as 263,171 pounds loaded. The notice says they operate at about 15 mph when loaded, cross at controlled intersections and make approximately 32 crossings per day at each of the two locations.
FMCSA cited limited exposure and existing controls
The agency said it was not aware of evidence that operations under the existing exemptions had degraded safety. Its analysis emphasized the very short public-road distances, controlled intersections, low loaded speeds, oversize marking and flagging, conspicuity tape, CDL-qualified drivers and continued application of the other FMCSRs.
Accidents must be reported within five business days
Cleveland-Cliffs must notify FMCSA within five business days of any accident, as defined by 49 CFR 390.5, involving a CMV operating under the exemption. Required information includes the carrier and driver, time and place, vehicle, injuries or fatalities, police-reported cause, citations, and the driver's total driving and on-duty time.
The exemption can be revoked
FMCSA states that it may revoke the relief if Cleveland-Cliffs, its drivers or vehicles fail to comply with the conditions, if the exemption produces a lower level of safety, or if continuation conflicts with statutory safety goals. The provisional language also makes the current renewal subject to the absence of adverse comments that would cause revocation.
Primary-source note
This report is based on FMCSA's September 30, 2026 Federal Register notice, 91 FR 61916. CDL Truck Pro treats the explicit September 23, 2026 through March 23, 2027 dates as the current operative period and does not portray the requested five-year renewal as a final five-year grant. The exemption is company-, route-, cargo-, driver- and vehicle-specific.
Continue with CDL Truck Pro
Official sources
Federal Register: FMCSA provisional renewal for Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC49 CFR 395.3: Property-carrying driver hours of service49 CFR 381.315: Exemption proceduresCDL Truck Pro provides educational information. Confirm licensing, safety, tax, and regulatory requirements through current official sources and qualified professionals.