The FMCSA’s Personal Conveyance Guidelines: A Driver’s Complete Guide

For commercial drivers across the United States, understanding and properly using personal conveyance is essential—not only for compliance but also for maintaining flexibility and efficiency on the road. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) provides specific guidelines on  dot personal conveyance, yet confusion still exists among drivers and even fleet managers.

Just like the importance of enrolling in a drug consortium to meet DOT drug and alcohol testing requirements, proper use of personal conveyance is a key aspect of staying compliant with FMCSA regulations and avoiding costly violations.

In this blog, we’ll break down what personal conveyance is, when it’s appropriate to use, common mistakes to avoid, and how to ensure full compliance with FMCSA rules—just as you would with participation in a drug consortium.

What Is Personal Conveyance?

Personal conveyance refers to the movement of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) for personal use while off duty. According to FMCSA regulations, if the driver is off duty and the movement of the vehicle does not benefit the motor carrier, it may be considered personal conveyance.

In simple terms: If you're not working and the trip is for personal reasons—not related to your job or employer—you may be allowed to log the drive as personal conveyance.

FMCSA’s Key Guidelines for Personal Conveyance

The FMCSA provides clear direction on when personal conveyance is appropriate. Here are the major criteria:

1. Driver Must Be Off Duty

You can only use personal conveyance while officially logged off duty. You cannot use it during your on-duty or drive time.

2. No Benefit to the Motor Carrier

The use of the vehicle must not be for business purposes or to advance the load or position of the vehicle for the next trip. If your movement helps your employer in any way, it’s not personal conveyance.

3. Must Be Logged Accurately in the ELD

Most ELD (Electronic Logging Device) systems offer a specific personal conveyance status that must be manually selected by the driver. Always ensure your status is updated to avoid confusion or violations.

Acceptable Uses of Personal Conveyance

Here are some common, FMCSA-approved examples of personal conveyance:

Travel Between Lodging and Restaurants

If you're off duty and driving from a truck stop or lodging to get food, this qualifies as personal conveyance.

Driving from Terminal to Home

Once your shift is complete and you are released from duty, you may drive a company truck to your home using personal conveyance (if the company allows it).

Shopping or Personal Errands

You may use the truck to go to a store or take care of personal tasks—as long as you're off duty and not advancing the load.

Travel to Lodging After Being Relieved

If you're relieved from work duties and travel to a nearby hotel, that can qualify as personal conveyance.

Unacceptable Uses of Personal Conveyance

Misuse of personal conveyance is a common FMCSA violation. Here are some scenarios where you cannot claim personal conveyance:

Driving to Pick Up a Load

Even if you’re technically off duty, if you're heading to a pickup location, it’s considered driving for work.

Moving the Vehicle to Get Closer to the Next Destination

If you drive to reduce deadhead miles or get closer to your next delivery or pickup, it benefits the carrier. This disqualifies it as personal conveyance.

Driving After Being Placed Out of Service

If you’ve exceeded your hours-of-service (HOS) limits and have been placed out of service, you cannot use personal conveyance to move your vehicle.

Vehicle Inspections or Maintenance

Any movement to get maintenance, fueling, or inspections done—even if you're off duty—is for the benefit of the carrier and must be logged as on-duty.

Clarifications from the FMCSA

The FMCSA issued an updated guidance document in 2018 to better define how personal conveyance can be used. Some key clarifications include:

There is no specific mileage limit for personal conveyance use, but excessive distances could raise red flags and may need to be justified during an audit.

Drivers may use personal conveyance even when carrying a loaded trailer, as long as the movement is personal in nature and not advancing the load.

Carriers can establish stricter policies than the FMCSA but cannot allow use of personal conveyance in ways that violate federal regulations.

Personal Conveyance and Your ELD

Using your ELD properly is crucial when it comes to logging personal conveyance. Here's what to keep in mind:

Switch Status Before You Move

Always select “Personal Conveyance” on your ELD before you begin driving. Failing to do this may lead to the drive time being logged as on-duty or drive time, which affects your HOS.

Add Annotations When Needed

It’s a good practice to annotate your ELD with the reason for the personal conveyance (for example, “Driving to restaurant from hotel”).

Communicate with Your Carrier

Some companies require drivers to get prior approval or log additional information for personal conveyance trips.

Carrier Policies Matter

While FMCSA sets the minimum standards, motor carriers may implement their own rules that are stricter. Some carriers:

• Don’t allow personal conveyance at all
• Set specific distance or time limits
• Require dispatch approval before use
• Limit personal conveyance when the vehicle is loaded

As a driver, it’s essential to understand and follow your company’s policy to avoid internal violations—even if the FMCSA would allow it.

Consequences of Misusing Personal Conveyance

Improper use of personal conveyance can lead to serious consequences:

FMCSA Violations: If a DOT inspector deems your use of personal conveyance inappropriate, you may receive an HOS violation.

Fines and Penalties: Violations can result in fines for both the driver and the carrier.

Audit Failures: Misuse can impact a company’s safety rating during DOT audits.

Increased Liability: Using personal conveyance improperly in the event of a crash could increase legal liability.