Exploring FMCSA's Personal Conveyance and Yard Moves Regulations
In 2015, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) implemented pivotal changes to their Hours of Service (HOS) rules, ushering in two distinctive driving categories: Personal Conveyance and Yard Moves.
Personal Conveyance: What Is It?
Personal Conveyance (PC) signifies the use of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) for personal purposes, emphasizing that such use should not yield commercial profit for the carrier. Crucially, a CMV can be employed for personal conveyance even when loaded, provided it doesn't serve the commercial interests of the carrier fleet. PC contributes to the mandatory off-duty period and does not affect the 14-hour driving window or the 11-hour driving limit. Some Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) can permit fleet managers to disable this option for drivers.
Let's dive into scenarios illustrating valid and invalid PC usage per FMCSA guidelines:
Valid Uses of Personal Conveyance:
Traveling from the driver's residence to the reporting location.
Searching for a nearby safe rest location.
Moving between trailer-drop lots and the driver's residence.
Following safety official instructions during off-duty time.
Transporting personal property during off-duty hours.
Traveling to restaurants or entertainment facilities and returning to lodging, with off-duty drivers onboard.
Invalid Uses of Personal Conveyance:
Moving a CMV to enhance carrier operational readiness.
Continuing a trip in interstate commerce for business purposes, such as repositioning the vehicle on carrier instructions.
Driving to a facility for vehicle maintenance.
Commuting to the terminal after loading or unloading.
Common Questions:
Can a PC Be Used for Driving Home?
Yes, a PC can be used for driving home, provided the driver is relieved of all work responsibilities.
Do I Need to Report Back to the Same Location After Using a PC?
FMCSA guidelines state that drivers are not obligated to return to the last on-duty location after a personal conveyance movement. Drivers can begin their on-duty period after completing the required off-duty time, regardless of the CMV's location.
Is There a Limit on Personal Conveyance Usage?
While there is no specified limit, DOT officers may scrutinize PC usage, potentially leading to violations if found invalid.
Does Personal Conveyance Count Against Hours of Service?
PC is categorized as Off-Duty in the HOS rules, having no impact on a driver's available hours of service. Ensuring the driver selects Personal Conveyance before moving the truck is vital to avoid the need for log edits or annotations.
Yard Moves: A Special Category
Yard Move is a unique driving category employed when a driver makes vehicle movements or adjustments within a yard. While FMCSA doesn't offer a formal yard definition, specific criteria apply:
The yard must have a sign or gate restricting public access.
All movements must occur within the same yard; moving between yards constitutes a driving event, not a Yard Move.
A yard can be a carrier's terminal, customer facility, or maintenance site, provided it has proper signage or gates to limit public entry. CMV movements or bobtailing in public parking lots do not qualify as yard moves, and public road driving is not considered a yard move either.
Yard moves are deemed on-duty but not driving, meaning they count toward the driver's 14-hour window but not the 11-hour driving limit. Similar to Personal Conveyance, carriers can disable the Yard Move option for specific or all drivers.
Logging yard move time requires precision. Failure to change the status after leaving the yard can result in false entries. Drivers should promptly annotate any inaccuracies, as intentional falsifications can lead to violations. It's essential for drivers to select Yard Move on the app before driving to prevent accidental driving event logs.
In conclusion, Personal Conveyance and Yard Moves offer drivers flexibility within FMCSA regulations. For more information on Hours of Service, explore our dedicated article. Below is a summary chart illustrating the distinctions between these categories:
[Insert Chart Here]
For the best Electronic Logging Device solutions, choose us.
Personal Conveyance: What Is It?
Personal Conveyance (PC) signifies the use of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) for personal purposes, emphasizing that such use should not yield commercial profit for the carrier. Crucially, a CMV can be employed for personal conveyance even when loaded, provided it doesn't serve the commercial interests of the carrier fleet. PC contributes to the mandatory off-duty period and does not affect the 14-hour driving window or the 11-hour driving limit. Some Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) can permit fleet managers to disable this option for drivers.
Let's dive into scenarios illustrating valid and invalid PC usage per FMCSA guidelines:
Valid Uses of Personal Conveyance:
Traveling from the driver's residence to the reporting location.
Searching for a nearby safe rest location.
Moving between trailer-drop lots and the driver's residence.
Following safety official instructions during off-duty time.
Transporting personal property during off-duty hours.
Traveling to restaurants or entertainment facilities and returning to lodging, with off-duty drivers onboard.
Invalid Uses of Personal Conveyance:
Moving a CMV to enhance carrier operational readiness.
Continuing a trip in interstate commerce for business purposes, such as repositioning the vehicle on carrier instructions.
Driving to a facility for vehicle maintenance.
Commuting to the terminal after loading or unloading.
Common Questions:
Can a PC Be Used for Driving Home?
Yes, a PC can be used for driving home, provided the driver is relieved of all work responsibilities.
Do I Need to Report Back to the Same Location After Using a PC?
FMCSA guidelines state that drivers are not obligated to return to the last on-duty location after a personal conveyance movement. Drivers can begin their on-duty period after completing the required off-duty time, regardless of the CMV's location.
Is There a Limit on Personal Conveyance Usage?
While there is no specified limit, DOT officers may scrutinize PC usage, potentially leading to violations if found invalid.
Does Personal Conveyance Count Against Hours of Service?
PC is categorized as Off-Duty in the HOS rules, having no impact on a driver's available hours of service. Ensuring the driver selects Personal Conveyance before moving the truck is vital to avoid the need for log edits or annotations.
Yard Moves: A Special Category
Yard Move is a unique driving category employed when a driver makes vehicle movements or adjustments within a yard. While FMCSA doesn't offer a formal yard definition, specific criteria apply:
The yard must have a sign or gate restricting public access.
All movements must occur within the same yard; moving between yards constitutes a driving event, not a Yard Move.
A yard can be a carrier's terminal, customer facility, or maintenance site, provided it has proper signage or gates to limit public entry. CMV movements or bobtailing in public parking lots do not qualify as yard moves, and public road driving is not considered a yard move either.
Yard moves are deemed on-duty but not driving, meaning they count toward the driver's 14-hour window but not the 11-hour driving limit. Similar to Personal Conveyance, carriers can disable the Yard Move option for specific or all drivers.
Logging yard move time requires precision. Failure to change the status after leaving the yard can result in false entries. Drivers should promptly annotate any inaccuracies, as intentional falsifications can lead to violations. It's essential for drivers to select Yard Move on the app before driving to prevent accidental driving event logs.
In conclusion, Personal Conveyance and Yard Moves offer drivers flexibility within FMCSA regulations. For more information on Hours of Service, explore our dedicated article. Below is a summary chart illustrating the distinctions between these categories:
[Insert Chart Here]
For the best Electronic Logging Device solutions, choose us.
