personal conveyance thread

That is not quite true. If you are being dispatched to some location to get a trailer and go to work, then yes you would be in a driving situation requiring logging.

However, if you left a trailer at some location, and then bobtailed to the house, took a break (10, 34, whatever), then headed back to the location you left the trailer, the all of that time is considered personal conveyance. So while you would be driving in a direction to go back to work, you are returning to the location for which you went off duty last. No foul.

Like was stated, the condition is "unladen", not "untrailered". The trailer is not considered cargo for the purposes of being laden.

It is true, that company policy, if stricter, trumps FMCSA regulations. And, of course, logging driving every time the truck is moving is not discouraged or required by the FMCSA. And if you hardly ever use much driving unladen and have ample hours available anyway, then it is really a non issue. But if hours available are an issue, and you meet the requirements, then it is sensible to use the personal conveyance option when you can. It is just that, an available option. It has to be used wisely and in accordance with the conditions for its use. No difference than using the OPTION of a 34 hr reset, OPTION of splitting the 10 hr break into 8 and 2, or any other options that are available.

 

Absolutely correct!

 

Ok I got a question. You are at a shipper/ consignee. You run out of hours loading/unloading. You are not allowed to stay their and are forced to move. How do you log it? Personnel conveyance ( off duty driving ) to nearest safe haven or on duty driving with note ( force to move) to nearest safe haven? Might be a dumb question but I just want to know what is more legal to do.

 

There is no line for off duty , driving . If you are unloaded you are unladen and can use personal conveyance (unless you have a tank with residue ) .
If you are loaded you are on duty even if you are out of hours .

 

I drive a 1972 Gran Torino Sport. I do not log any of the time.

 

I like late 60s, early 70s Fords. They make my 71 El Camino look good!

 

The "personal conveyance clause" - 395.8 interpretations question 26 - gives only 2 cases where driving an unladen CMV can be called off-duty:
1 - commuting to and from home from the "normal work reporting location" - i.e. terminal
2 - "traveling short distances from a driver’s en route lodgings (such as en route terminals or motels) to restaurants in the vicinity of such lodgings"

The phrase "Safe havens" is not mentioned. That term has to do with route controlled HM.

In your given scenario it would be driving time, line 3.

 

Well that certainly tightens up the situations where PC can be used.

 

As FMCSA does not define "Short Distances", what standard do you and your agency apply?

 

In my agency, we use 50 miles. However there are exceptions.