Update: The FMCSA has updated personal conveyance guidelines as of June 2018. Click here to find the latest information.
“How can my drivers keep driving time off their logs with an ELD?”
We get asked this question every day by fleets making the transition from paper logs to ELDs. We get it — drivers need to be able to keep Driving time off their log given the rigidity of HOS rules.
With paper logs it’s easy — if you move the vehicle around the yard you log the time as On Duty. And if you drive the vehicle home after completing a shift you simply log the time as Off Duty.
Fortunately, the FMCSA outlined special driving categories in the ELD mandate that allow drivers to keep Driving time off their log. Drivers can simply indicate Yard Move or Personal Conveyance status to classify Driving time as On Duty or Off Duty. It’s just as easy to keep Driving time off your log with the Motive ELD as it is with paper logs.
When to use Personal Conveyance time
Personal Conveyance is Off Duty time when the driver uses the vehicle exclusively for personal use — such as driving home or going to a restaurant after a shift. According to the Personal Conveyance rule, work-related activities must not take place while operating the vehicle for personal use. This means drivers can’t go to the mechanic, move to pick up their next load, or bring the truck back into a terminal under Personal Conveyance time.
If you’re driving a box truck, the back must be completely empty. For tractor trailers, you must not pull the trailer, even if it’s empty. Furthermore, the destination of a Personal Conveyance move must solely be for personal reasons, such as driving to a hotel.
When to use Yard Move time
While Personal Conveyance is Off Duty driving, Yard Moves are On Duty driving. Yard Moves occur when the vehicle is moved around the yard or terminal. Even though Yard Moves take place On Duty, they don’t add to your Driving time. However, if you use a Yard Move mid rest-period, it will interrupt Off Duty time.
How much can drivers use personal conveyance and yard moves?
There are no time or distance limitations with these special driving categories. However, we recommend drivers use caution. An enforcement officer may determine that the amount of time used or distance covered for Personal Conveyance or Yard Moves is unreasonable, which could result in a violation.
How to keep driving time off your ELD logbook
We’ve made it extremely simple to keep Driving time off your logbook with the Motive ELD — it just takes one tap. To enable Personal Conveyance or Yard Moves, just select a checkbox when you enter your duty status:
In order to avoid a violation, Personal Conveyance or Yard Moves must be selected prior to moving the vehicle. This is required according to the ELD rule. You can learn more about how to use this feature by visiting Motive’s learning center.
How fleet managers can enable special driving categories
If you’re a Motive ELD customer and would like to take advantage of these special driving categories, just click ‘Admin Panel’ at the top of your dashboard. Then select the Personal Conveyance and/or Yard Move checkboxes on the bottom of the page.
To get in touch with Motive and learn how you can keep Driving time off your logbook with the Motive ELD, request a demo.
