LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency ahead of severe winter weather expected to strike the state according to a release.
Sanders said in the release that the declaration is set to begin on Sunday due to the weather’s potential to cause dangers, hardships, and suffering throughout the state.
“The weather-related conditions could create the need for commercial vehicles to haul heavy equipment, oversized loads, transformers, necessary hardware and other transmission and distribution equipment for the purpose of restoring utility services to the citizens of the State of Arkansas,” the governor said.
In the declaration, the governor said that a motor carrier or driver operating a commercial motor vehicle will be exempt from federal regulations limiting the maximum driving time for property and passenger carrying vehicles for up to 14 days as long as the motor carrier or driver is providing direct assistance in response to the emergency.