How to Use Personal Conveyance Correctly!

::When I think of over the road trucking, I can’t think of a more interesting topic to talk about than Personal Conveyance. Ok, I might be a tad sarcastic, but in reality, personal conveyance (or PC as we like to say in the biz) is a great feature to have available, and at the same time, might be one of the most incorrectly used hours of service option. So I’m here to shed some light on how to use PC correctly and what some of the most common incorrect ways to use it are.

You might be asking yourself, ‘who cares about PC’? Well, the DOT and FMCSA care. In fact they care a lot! In 2024, HOS violations were the number one critical violation found during audits. I cannot confirm that the HOS violations were all PC related, but in my 25 years of being in the transportation industry, I can safely say that the overwhelming majority of HOS violations found were related to PC. And with each violation found also comes a hefty financial penalty that can exceed over $10,000. So it would be in a carrier’s best interest to care about a driver’s PC use as well.

THE CORRECT WAYS TO USE PC

A good rule of thumb with PC use is if the operations or dispatch team tell you to move the truck (ie. A dispatch, or a movement related to a dispatch) then you CANNOT use PC. But, if you move your truck for something you need, then you can. Now, here me when I say this…that rule of thumb is not 100% accurate, it’s just a guide. If you stick to it, you should have an understanding of how PC works. However, there are still some exceptions to it. Here are the scenarios where you can use the PC option:

1. Driving to a hotel, restaurant, or entertainment facility. If you need stay at the Bates Motel, eat at Café Du Monde, or to watch the newest JLo romantic comedy, you can use personal conveyance to do so.
   
   
2. Driving from your house to your home terminal, job site, or trailer yard. The FMCSA considers this commuting, and therefore can be driven under PC. Keep in mind, there is no mileage limit to this option, but you might be questioned if you’re running under PC for a while.
   
   
3. Driving to a safe location after your work time expires. Hours of service rules say that over the road drivers can work up to 14 hours a day. However, it is a well known fact that certain shippers and receivers can take their sweet time loading and unloading a trailer. If a driver is being loaded/unloaded and their 14 hours expires, the driver can use PC to get to a safe location. This is probably the most common use of PC that I see as a safety guy. Keep in mind, this doesn’t allow the driver to go to their FAVORITE truck stop. It specifically says that they need to go to the closest available.
   
   
4. Driving at the request of a safety official during Off Duty hours. If a driver is in their 10 hour Off Duty time (as required by the FMCSA) and a DOT officer or other safety official asks them to move, the driver can move their truck under the PC option.
   
   
5. Transporting personal property while off duty. This is most common when a driver is on home time and they are using their truck to run errands. A driver can use PC if they are using the truck for strictly personal reasons.
   
   
6. Authorized use of CMV to travel home from off site location. This is THE ONE that trips up a lot of drivers, dispatchers, and spouses who are ready for their partner to get home so they can help with the kids! This rule is not meant for over the road drivers, but for construction workers. There are vehicles that are considered CMVs (commercial motor vehicles) but are not semi trucks, and they are usually found in the construction industry. This rule is set up so those vehicles, and their drivers, can go home from a job site under PC. Numerous over the road drivers interpret this rule to mean they can drive home under PC from a receiver, but that is not the case. If you are an over the road CMV driver, you cannot use PC to drive home after you deliver your load. I know, I know, I already hear you arguing, and to be perfectly frank, I’m with you. I wish the FMCSA would modify this to allow it, but right now, they view going home as a continuation of the load, and therefore, a CMV driver cannot use PC after they deliver.

THE INCORRECT WAYS TO USE PC

1. Moving the CMV to get a better spot for freight. If a driver delivers to a spot where outbound freight is scarce, they cannot use PC to move to a spot with better outbound freight. They can use the Drive hours of service to do so, or they can talk to dispatch and tell them to quit sending them to the freight wastelands.
   
   
2. Continuing to drive while “looking” for a safe spot to park. A driver cannot run down to zero on their available drive clock, and put it in PC to start looking for a spot to park. DOT and FMCSA expect drivers to plan their day so they know their parking options before they run out of time.
   
   
3. Bobtailing or deadheading while performing a work function. This rule breaks the myth that if you aren’t pulling any freight, you can use PC. That is simply not the case. In fact, you can be fully loaded and use PC correctly. The idea behind PC has nothing to do with the freight and everything to do with how you are using the CMV. If you are driving because the operations team told you to, it needs to be logged under Driving and not PC.
   
   
4. Driving a CMV to a maintenance shop. If the truck needs to be driven to a shop for maintenance, it needs to be done under Driving and not PC.
   
   
5. Driving to a safe spot after being put “Out of Service”. You really can’t drive at all after being put out of service. Most likely the truck has a defect that needs immediate repair, or the driver has log issues and is ordered to take a 10 hour break. Regardless of the reason, if a driver gets put out of service, they need to stay exactly where they are, unless the officer tells them to move.
   
   
6. Driving home or to a terminal after being unloaded. We already touched on this one, but to reiterate, a driver cannot use PC to drive home or back to a terminal after they have delivered a load.
   
   

While there is still some gray area that comes with personal conveyance, this short list should help clarify many common questions when it comes to it. One last nugget of advice that I like to give with regards to PC is: if you aren’t sure you can use PC for a move, then don’t use it.

Like I said, PC is a great tool when used properly. It can help drivers fully utilize their log books so they can be efficient on the road. But using it incorrectly can be done very easily if no one is paying attention. Learn the rules, avoid the fines and violations, and keep on rolling knowing with the peace of mind that your logs are compliant.