--- kind: "section" citation: "49 U.S.C. § 21102" title: "49" title_heading: "Transportation" number: "21102" heading: "Nonapplication, exemption, and alternate hours of service regime" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/49/21102" units: - "Subtitle V — Rail Programs" - "Part A — Safety" - "Chapter 211 — Hours of Service" --- # §21102. Nonapplication, exemption, and alternate hours of service regime - (a) **General.—** This chapter does not apply to a situation involving any of the following: - (1) a casualty. - (2) an unavoidable accident. - (3) an act of God. - (4) a delay resulting from a cause unknown and unforeseeable to a [railroad carrier](/usc/49/20102.md?p=3) or its officer or agent in charge of the [employee](/usc/49/21101.md?p=3) when the [employee](/usc/49/21101.md?p=3) left a terminal. - (b) **Exemption.—** The [Secretary](/usc/49/22401.md?p=14) of Transportation may exempt a [railroad carrier](/usc/49/20102.md?p=3) having not more than 15 [employees](/usc/49/21101.md?p=3) covered by this chapter from the limitations imposed by this chapter. The [Secretary](/usc/49/22401.md?p=14) may allow the exemption after a full hearing, for good cause shown, and on deciding that the exemption is in the public interest and will not affect safety adversely. The exemption shall be for a specific period of time and is subject to review at least annually. The exemption may not authorize a carrier to require or allow its [employees](/usc/49/21101.md?p=3) to be on duty more than a total of 16 hours in a 24-hour period. - (c) **Application of Hours of Service Regime to Commuter and Intercity Passenger Railroad Train Employees.—** - (1) When providing [commuter rail passenger transportation](/usc/49/24102.md?p=3) or [intercity rail passenger transportation](/usc/49/24102.md?p=4), the limitations on duty hours for [train employees](/usc/49/21101.md?p=5) of [railroad carriers](/usc/49/20102.md?p=3), including public authorities operating passenger service, shall be solely governed by old [section 21103](/usc/49/21103.md) until the earlier of— - (A) the effective date of regulations prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/49/22401.md?p=14) under [section 21109(b)](/usc/49/21109.md?p=b) of this chapter; or - (B) the date that is 3 years following the date of enactment of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008. - (2) After the date on which old [section 21103](/usc/49/21103.md) ceases to apply, pursuant to [paragraph (1)](#c-1), to the limitations on duty hours for [train employees](/usc/49/21101.md?p=5) of [railroad carriers](/usc/49/20102.md?p=3) with respect to the provision of [commuter rail passenger transportation](/usc/49/24102.md?p=3) or [intercity rail passenger transportation](/usc/49/24102.md?p=4), the limitations on duty hours for [train employees](/usc/49/21101.md?p=5) of such [railroad carriers](/usc/49/20102.md?p=3) shall be governed by new [section 21103](/usc/49/21103.md), except as provided in [paragraph (3)](#c-3). - (3) After the effective date of the regulations prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/49/22401.md?p=14) under [section 21109(b) of this title](/usc/49/21109.md?p=b), such carriers shall— - (A) comply with the limitations on duty hours for [train employees](/usc/49/21101.md?p=5) with respect to the provision of [commuter rail passenger transportation](/usc/49/24102.md?p=3) or [intercity rail passenger transportation](/usc/49/24102.md?p=4) as prescribed by such regulations; and - (B) be exempt from complying with the provisions of old [section 21103](/usc/49/21103.md) and new [section 21103](/usc/49/21103.md) for such [employees](/usc/49/21101.md?p=3). - (4) In this subsection: - (A) The terms “[commuter rail passenger transportation](/usc/49/24102.md?p=3)” and “[intercity rail passenger transportation](/usc/49/24102.md?p=4)” have the meaning given those terms in [section 24102 of this title](/usc/49/24102.md). - (C) [^1] The term “new [section 21103](/usc/49/21103.md)” means [section 21103](/usc/49/21103.md) of this chapter as amended by the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008. - (D) The term “old [section 21103](/usc/49/21103.md)” means [section 21103](/usc/49/21103.md) of this chapter as it was in effect on the day before the enactment of that Act. ## Footnotes [^1]: So in original. No subpar. (B) has been enacted. ## Source credit (Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 888; Pub. L. 110–432, div. A, title I, § 108(d)(1), Oct. 16, 2008, 122 Stat. 4863.) ## Notes | Historical and Revision Notes | | | | --- | --- | --- | | Revised
Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) | | 21102(a) | 45:63a(d) (related to 45:64a). | Mar. 4, 1907, ch. 2939, 34 Stat. 1415, § 3A(d) (related to § 5); added July 8, 1976, Pub. L. 94–348, § 4(d), 90 Stat. 819; June 22, 1988, Pub. L. 100–342, § 16(4), 102 Stat. 635. | | | 45:64a(d). | Mar. 4, 1907, ch. 2939, § 5(d), 34 Stat. 1417; restated Dec. 26, 1969, Pub. L. 91–169, § 1, 83 Stat. 464; June 22, 1988, Pub. L. 100–342, § 16(6)(D), 102 Stat. 635. | | 21102(b) | 45:63a(d) (related to 45:64a). | | | | 45:64a(e). | Mar. 4, 1907, ch. 2939, § 5(e), 34 Stat. 1417; restated Dec. 26, 1969, Pub. L. 91–169, § 1, 83 Stat. 464. | In subsection (b), the words “with respect to one or more of its employees” are omitted as surplus because the authority to exempt a railroad carrier includes the authority to exempt only some of the employees of the carrier. The words “carrier to require or allow its employees to be on duty” are substituted for “any railroad described in this section to work its employees” for clarity and consistency in this chapter. ### Editorial Notes ### References in Text The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, referred to in subsec. (c)(1)(B), (4)(C), (D), is div. A of Pub. L. 110–432, Oct. 16, 2008, 122 Stat. 4848. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 2008 Amendment note set out under section 20101 of this title and Tables. ### Amendments 2008—Pub. L. 110–432, § 108(d)(1)(A), substituted “Nonapplication, exemption, and alternate hours of service regime” for “Nonapplication and exemption” in section catchline. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 110–432, § 108(d)(1)(B), added subsec. (c).