SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois truckers who are hauling emergency relief supplies for the COVID-19 pandemic can apply for and receive free Illinois Department of Transportation overweight trucking permits through April 12.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued an emergency declaration on March 18 that allows truckers to apply for free overweight permits. Drivers are required to carry a copy of the governor's order and the waiver itself. Both are available at webapps.dot.illinois.gov/ITAP.
The order does not apply to posted bridges and local highways with special or seasonal weight limits.
According to the order signed by Pritzker, “interstate and intrastate carriers providing direct assistance in support of emergency relief efforts related to the COVID-19 outbreaks are relieved from the requirements contained in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety regulations.”
“It’s always important for haulers to be able to move supplies in a timely and safe manner, but it’s never been more important than right now,” said Omer Osman, acting Illinois director of transportation.
The Illinois Truck Enforcement Association, a group of state and local truck enforcement officers, clarified the waiver and how it applies to trucks.
“This excess weight is allowed to divisible loads that are engaged in essential services provided for relief efforts. This includes food, medicine and other essential supplies from manufacturers to warehouses to market,” the ITEA said.
In addition, the ITEA clarified how loads do not qualify for the waiver.
“The truck has to contain only those supplies. One box of food on a fully loaded truck does not automatically qualify that truck. To obtain these exemptions, a permit must be obtained from the Illinois Department of Transportation ITAP system for every move that is made,” said the ITEA in a news release.
The ITEA said any questions for their officers can be emailed to info@illinoistruckcops.com.
On March 20, Pritzker announced a stay-at-home order, effective 5 p.m. on March 21 and continuing through the end of April 7, in an attempt to stop the rapid spread of coronavirus and keep Illinois hospitals and medical workers from being overloaded.
“I fully recognize that, in some cases, I am choosing between saving peoples’ lives and saving peoples’ livelihoods, but ultimately, you can’t have a livelihood if you don’t have your life,” said Pritzker in announcing the order.
Pritzker said he has consulted with medical experts, epidemiologists and others in arriving at the decision to issue the stay-at-home order.
“My bedrock has been to rely upon science, real, actual science, around infection rates and potential mortalities,” Pritzker said.
He said that non-essential businesses would close, but grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, laundromats and other essential businesses would remain open.
“Agriculture and the press, veterinarians and plumbers, laundromats and banks, roads, bridges and transit, the fundamental building blocks that keep our society safe and steady, will not be closing down,” he said.