FMCSA Personal Conveyance & Yard Moves: A Comprehensive Explanation
In 2015, the FMCSA introduced significant amendments to the Hours of Service rules, ushering in two unique driving categories: Personal Conveyance and Yard Moves.
Understanding Personal Conveyance (PC)
Personal Conveyance, often abbreviated as PC, denotes the operation of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) for personal reasons. It's crucial to note that any use of a CMV for personal conveyance must not generate commercial profit for the motor carrier.
Remarkably, the CMV can be loaded during personal conveyance, as long as it isn't for the carrier's commercial benefit. Importantly, personal conveyance counts towards the mandatory off-duty period, leaving the 14-hour driving window and the 11-hour driving limit unaffected. Some Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) offer the option for fleet managers to disable this feature for drivers.
Here are examples of valid and invalid uses of personal conveyance, as outlined by the FMCSA:
Valid Uses of Personal Conveyance:
Traveling from a driver's residence to the reporting location.
Seeking a nearby safe location to fulfill the required rest period.
Moving between trailer-drop lots and a driver's residence.
Complying with safety officials' instructions during off-duty hours.
Transporting personal property during off-duty time.
Traveling to restaurants or entertainment venues and returning to lodging. (Note: Other off-duty drivers may be present in the vehicle, but they are not considered passengers.)
Returning to a driver's residence after working at an off-site location.
Invalid Uses of Personal Conveyance:
Moving a CMV to enhance the motor carrier's operational readiness.
Continuing an interstate commerce trip for business purposes, including repositioning the vehicle on carrier instructions, retrieving additional cargo, or bobtailing.
Driving to a facility for vehicle maintenance.
Commuting to the terminal after loading or unloading from a shipper or receiver.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Can I use Personal Conveyance to Drive Home?
Yes, driving home is a valid use of personal conveyance, provided the driver is relieved of all work responsibilities.
2. Do I need to return to the same location after using Personal Conveyance?
According to FMCSA guidelines, drivers are not required to return to their last on-duty location after a personal conveyance movement. A driver can commence the on-duty period after completing the necessary off-duty time, regardless of the CMV's location.
3. Is there a limit to how much Personal Conveyance I can use?
There is no predefined limit, but DOT officers may scrutinize personal conveyance usage, potentially resulting in violations if found to be invalid.
4. Does Personal Conveyance count against Hours of Service?
Personal Conveyance is counted as off-duty time within the Hours of Service, thus not affecting a driver's available hours. Selecting the Personal Conveyance status before moving the truck is crucial to avoid log edits and annotations.
Understanding Yard Moves:
Yard Move is a unique driving category reserved for CMV maneuvers within a designated yard. The term 'yard' lacks a formal FMCSA definition, but specific criteria apply:
There must be a sign or gate restricting public access to the yard.
The entire move must remain within the same yard; moving between yards constitutes a driving event, not a Yard Move.
A yard can encompass a carrier's terminal, a customer's facility, or a maintenance facility, provided there are signs or gates restricting public access. Moving a CMV or bobtailing in a public parking lot doesn't qualify as a yard move. Generally, truck stops are not considered "yards," as they are open to the public. Any driving on public roads is not classified as a yard move.
Yard move time is recorded by the ELD as on-duty time but not driving. If a driver begins the day with yard moves, the 14-hour driving window initiates, while up to 11 hours of driving time remain. Similar to Personal Conveyance, carriers can disable the Yard Move option for specific drivers.
Precise tracking of yard move time is essential. Failing to change the status after leaving the yard can lead to false entries in the log. In such cases, drivers should promptly add remarks explaining the discrepancy. Deliberate log falsification can result in violations. It's also crucial for drivers to select the Yard Move status on the app before driving to prevent a driving event from being logged.
In summary, this comprehensive explanation covers both Personal Conveyance and Yard Moves, features available with our top-notch ELD Device. For more information on the Hours of Service regulations, please refer to our dedicated article. To provide a quick visual summary of both categories, please consult the chart below:
Understanding Personal Conveyance (PC)
Personal Conveyance, often abbreviated as PC, denotes the operation of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) for personal reasons. It's crucial to note that any use of a CMV for personal conveyance must not generate commercial profit for the motor carrier.
Remarkably, the CMV can be loaded during personal conveyance, as long as it isn't for the carrier's commercial benefit. Importantly, personal conveyance counts towards the mandatory off-duty period, leaving the 14-hour driving window and the 11-hour driving limit unaffected. Some Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) offer the option for fleet managers to disable this feature for drivers.
Here are examples of valid and invalid uses of personal conveyance, as outlined by the FMCSA:
Valid Uses of Personal Conveyance:
Traveling from a driver's residence to the reporting location.
Seeking a nearby safe location to fulfill the required rest period.
Moving between trailer-drop lots and a driver's residence.
Complying with safety officials' instructions during off-duty hours.
Transporting personal property during off-duty time.
Traveling to restaurants or entertainment venues and returning to lodging. (Note: Other off-duty drivers may be present in the vehicle, but they are not considered passengers.)
Returning to a driver's residence after working at an off-site location.
Invalid Uses of Personal Conveyance:
Moving a CMV to enhance the motor carrier's operational readiness.
Continuing an interstate commerce trip for business purposes, including repositioning the vehicle on carrier instructions, retrieving additional cargo, or bobtailing.
Driving to a facility for vehicle maintenance.
Commuting to the terminal after loading or unloading from a shipper or receiver.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Can I use Personal Conveyance to Drive Home?
Yes, driving home is a valid use of personal conveyance, provided the driver is relieved of all work responsibilities.
2. Do I need to return to the same location after using Personal Conveyance?
According to FMCSA guidelines, drivers are not required to return to their last on-duty location after a personal conveyance movement. A driver can commence the on-duty period after completing the necessary off-duty time, regardless of the CMV's location.
3. Is there a limit to how much Personal Conveyance I can use?
There is no predefined limit, but DOT officers may scrutinize personal conveyance usage, potentially resulting in violations if found to be invalid.
4. Does Personal Conveyance count against Hours of Service?
Personal Conveyance is counted as off-duty time within the Hours of Service, thus not affecting a driver's available hours. Selecting the Personal Conveyance status before moving the truck is crucial to avoid log edits and annotations.
Understanding Yard Moves:
Yard Move is a unique driving category reserved for CMV maneuvers within a designated yard. The term 'yard' lacks a formal FMCSA definition, but specific criteria apply:
There must be a sign or gate restricting public access to the yard.
The entire move must remain within the same yard; moving between yards constitutes a driving event, not a Yard Move.
A yard can encompass a carrier's terminal, a customer's facility, or a maintenance facility, provided there are signs or gates restricting public access. Moving a CMV or bobtailing in a public parking lot doesn't qualify as a yard move. Generally, truck stops are not considered "yards," as they are open to the public. Any driving on public roads is not classified as a yard move.
Yard move time is recorded by the ELD as on-duty time but not driving. If a driver begins the day with yard moves, the 14-hour driving window initiates, while up to 11 hours of driving time remain. Similar to Personal Conveyance, carriers can disable the Yard Move option for specific drivers.
Precise tracking of yard move time is essential. Failing to change the status after leaving the yard can lead to false entries in the log. In such cases, drivers should promptly add remarks explaining the discrepancy. Deliberate log falsification can result in violations. It's also crucial for drivers to select the Yard Move status on the app before driving to prevent a driving event from being logged.
In summary, this comprehensive explanation covers both Personal Conveyance and Yard Moves, features available with our top-notch ELD Device. For more information on the Hours of Service regulations, please refer to our dedicated article. To provide a quick visual summary of both categories, please consult the chart below:
