Know Your CMV Moves

There seem to be some confusing beliefs between Yard Moves and Personal Conveyance with some Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) drivers when using an Electric Logging Device (ELD). It’s important to know the difference to avoid misuse of moves recorded by each driver’s ELD that can result in penalties or fines.

The Yard Move

The Yard Move option is used when a CMV move is used within a carrier’s enclosed yard with restricted access by the public, within a customer’s yard, or at the lot of a repair shop. Although the yard move is not recorded against the driver’s 11-hour drive window, it is recorded as part of the driver’s 14-hour on-duty window as on-duty-not-driving time. The driver must annotate the ELD to avoid penalties or citations that may adversely affect the carrier’s safety scores and be detrimental to the firm’s business.

The Personal Conveyance Move

Using a CMV as a Personal Conveyance for personal use while the driver is off duty and not moving the shipment closer to its destination. A loaded CMV can be used for personal use as long as it is not being used for commercial benefit during the move. 

Carriers may set up their ELDs to enable drivers to log Personal Conveyance moves, but the carrier is not obligated to do so.

Examples of acceptable Personal Conveyance moves are:

• Traveling between a diver’s work and home.
• Moving to a close place for rest at a safe place after loading or unloading.
• Moving from a truck stop or motel to a restaurant or entertainment center.
• Moving a CMV as requested by a safety official while the driver is off duty.
• Transporting personal property while off duty.
• Traveling in a motor coach with no passengers to a truck stop, restaurant, motel, or entertainment center, and back, if the driver is off duty.
• Authorized use of a CMV to travel home from an offsite location.