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Personal Conveyance Rules: When Off Duty Driving Is Allowed

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Rules, prices and device details on this page were checked October 2026 against the official sources listed at the bottom. Where a provider doesn't publish a number, we say so instead of guessing.

Personal conveyance is one of the most useful and most misused parts of the hours of service rules. Used right, it lets you drive your truck off duty to grab dinner, get home or find a safe place to sleep. Used wrong, it's a falsified log. The line between the two isn't about distance or whether you're loaded. It's about why you're moving the truck. Here's what FMCSA's guidance says, with examples, checked October 2026.

FMCSA Definition

FMCSA's guidance on personal conveyance is Question 26 under 49 CFR 395.8, published in the Federal Register on June 7, 2018. It says a driver may record time driving a CMV for personal conveyance, meaning for personal use or reasons, as off duty only when the driver is relieved from work and all responsibility for performing work by the motor carrier.

Three key points from the guidance:

  • PC is off duty time. It doesn't count against your 11 or 14 hour limits or your 60/70 hour limit, and it doesn't restart your break.
  • The reason matters most. The truck must be moved for your personal benefit, not to help the carrier's business.
  • Safety still applies. PC doesn't reduce the driver's or carrier's responsibility to drive safely. If you're too tired to drive, you're too tired for PC.

Distance limits

FMCSA's guidance doesn't set a mileage or time limit for personal conveyance. Some commenters asked for one, and FMCSA said that was outside the scope of guidance. That said, your carrier can set one. And for commuting, the guidance says the distance plus your work schedule must still leave enough time for real rest.

Laden trucks

Under the old guidance, you couldn't use PC with a loaded truck. That changed in 2018. Now the CMV may be used for PC even if it's laden, because the load isn't being moved for the carrier's commercial benefit at that time. Your carrier can still ban PC while loaded.

Allowed Uses

FMCSA's guidance lists these examples of appropriate personal conveyance, though the list isn't exhaustive:

  1. Driving from your en route lodging, like a motel or truck stop, to restaurants and entertainment.
  2. Commuting between your terminal and home, between trailer drop lots and home, and between work sites and home, as long as you still get the required rest.
  3. Driving to a nearby, reasonable, safe place to rest after loading or unloading. It must be the first such place reasonably available.
  4. Moving the truck at the request of a safety official during your off duty time.
  5. Driving a motorcoach without passengers to lodging, restaurants or entertainment and back, while off duty.
  6. Transporting personal property while off duty.
  7. Authorized use of the CMV to travel home after working at an offsite location.

Leaving a shipper or receiver

This is the big one for over the road drivers. If a shipper or receiver makes you leave after you've run out of hours, FMCSA says you can use PC to get to the nearest safe resting area, as long as you're moving solely to get your required rest. If the nearest spot happens to be in the direction of your next load, that's okay. If you can't park at the nearest location and have to go on to another, FMCSA recommends noting that in your log.

Not Allowed Uses

The guidance also lists examples that are not personal conveyance:

  1. Moving the truck to improve the carrier's operational readiness, such as passing up available rest spots to get closer to your next pickup or delivery.
  2. After dropping a towed unit, returning to the origin at the carrier's direction to pick up another one.
  3. Continuing a trip for a business purpose, including bobtailing or pulling an empty trailer to get another load, or repositioning a tractor or trailer for the carrier.
  4. Driving a passenger carrying CMV with passengers on board. Off duty drivers going to a common destination of their own choice don't count as passengers.
  5. Taking the truck to a shop for maintenance.
  6. After being placed out of service for exceeding your hours, driving to a place to rest, unless an officer at the scene tells you to.
  7. Driving to the carrier's terminal after loading or unloading.
  8. Driving a motorcoach to deliver luggage after passengers get off, when directed to deliver it.

A simple test: if the move helps the company, it's not PC. If you'd make the trip even if you weren't working for the carrier, it probably is.

Logging PC in Your ELD

ELDs handle personal conveyance as a special driving category called authorized personal use. Here's how it typically works:

  • Your carrier has to enable it. If PC isn't turned on for your account, you won't see the option.
  • Select PC before you move. Change your status to personal conveyance before driving, not after.
  • Add a note. A short annotation like "to truck stop for 10 hour break" or "to restaurant" helps at roadside and in audits.
  • End PC when you stop. Switch back to off duty or sleeper berth when you arrive.

Officers can see PC segments in your logs during a roadside inspection, so be ready to explain each one. Your carrier can see them too, which is why FMCSA noted that ELDs make PC use more transparent.

Yard moves vs PC

Don't confuse the two. A yard move is another special driving category, but it's on duty time, used for moving the truck within a yard or terminal for work. PC is off duty driving for personal reasons. Moving a trailer around the yard is a yard move. Driving to a restaurant after your shift is PC. Picking the wrong one is a common log error.

Carrier Policies

FMCSA's guidance lets carriers set their own PC limits, as long as they're within or stricter than the guidance. Carriers can:

  • Ban PC entirely
  • Set a distance limit
  • Prohibit PC while the truck is loaded

If you're a fleet manager, put your PC policy in writing, train drivers on it, and review PC use regularly in your ELD reports. Look for patterns like long PC moves that end near the next pickup. If you're a driver, know your company's policy, since it can be stricter than FMCSA's.

FMCSA also noted that liability in a crash during PC isn't something it decides. That depends on your insurance and contracts, so carriers should check their coverage.

For more on the duty limits PC sits alongside, read our hours of service guide. And make sure you know how to hand your logs to an officer, including your PC segments, by reviewing your ELD's transfer instructions.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a mile limit for personal conveyance?

FMCSA's guidance does not set a distance or time limit. Carriers can set their own limits, and the trip must still allow the driver to get required rest.

Can I use personal conveyance with a loaded truck?

Yes. Since the 2018 guidance, a CMV may be used for personal conveyance even if laden, because the load is not being moved for the carrier's benefit. Your carrier can still prohibit it.

Does personal conveyance count against my hours?

No. Personal conveyance is off duty, so it does not count toward the 11 or 14 hour limits or the 60/70 hour limit.

Can I use PC to leave a shipper after running out of hours?

Yes, to go to the nearest reasonable and safe place to take your required rest. FMCSA recommends annotating your log if you have to go past the nearest location.

Sources

All prices, terms and registration details were checked October 2026 on the pages below. Providers change pricing often, so confirm before you buy.