This article explains the differences between regulated and unregulated trips in Motive’s ELD system, why correct categorization is essential for hours of service (HOS) compliance, and how Motive helps drivers and fleet managers manage these trip types effectively.
Overview
Motive’s ELD system tracks and categorizes every trip to help fleets and drivers stay compliant with regulations. Understanding the distinction between regulated and unregulated trips is crucial for accurate HOS records and avoiding violations.
- Accurate HOS compliance: Ensures only regulated activity counts toward HOS limits
- Reduced risk of violations: Prevents misclassification and potential fines.
- Clear reporting: Simplifies audits and improves transparency.
Regulated vs. unregulated trips
Motive’s ELD records all vehicle movement, but not every trip is subject to federal HOS rules. Trips are classified as either regulated or unregulated:
- Regulated trips: These involve the operation of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) and are subject to HOS regulations. Examples include driving a truck for deliveries or transporting goods as part of business operations. All driving and on-duty activities must be accurately logged to comply with FMCSA requirements.
- Unregulated trips: These occur when a vehicle is operated as a non-CMV (when the vehicle isn’t configured or used in a way that meets the FMCSA's CMV definition). Examples include using a vehicle for purely personal reasons or when it is not in service. These trips do not count toward HOS calculations.
Regulated trips
Regulated trips include several specific trip types. The three regulated trip types include: Driving, personal conveyance, and yard move.
Driving
Definition: The “Driving” status is recorded when a driver operates a CMV on a public road for commercial purposes. This is triggered automatically by vehicle movement when it exceeds 5 mph/8 kph.
Impact on HOS: All time spent in “Driving” status counts toward the driving limit, the hour on-duty limit, and the hour/day cumulative limits. Exceeding these limits may result in violations.
How Motive records driving: The ELD automatically logs all driving time, which is displayed in the driver’s logs and available for review in both the Motive Driver App and the Fleet Dashboard. Accurate driving logs ensure compliance and protect both drivers and carriers from penalties.
Personal conveyance
Definition & purpose: Personal conveyance refers to the off-duty use of a CMV for personal reasons, such as commuting to a hotel, going to a restaurant, or relocating the vehicle at the direction of a safety official. The key is that the movement is not for commercial benefit, and the driver is relieved from work responsibilities.
Key aspects: Personal conveyance should not be used to advance a load or for business purposes. Common examples include travel to a safe rest location or personal errands while off duty.
Motive functionality: Personal conveyance can be enabled or disabled by fleet managers in the Fleet Dashboard. Drivers can select personal conveyance in the Motive Driver App when connected to a vehicle. These events are recorded as distinct, off-duty periods in the logs.
Yard move
Definition & purpose: Yard move is an on-duty, not driving status used when moving a CMV within a restricted yard area (for example, shuttling trailers or repositioning in a terminal). It is meant for non-public, geofenced locations.
Key aspects: Yard Move is not automatically selected by the system. Drivers must manually enable it before driving. To use Yard Move, the driver must first connect to the vehicle, open the Quick Status Selector (QSS), select Yard Move, and then begin driving. When Yard Move is selected correctly, any driving activity will be recorded as Yard Move time instead of regular Drive time. If the “Allow drivers to use Yard Move only inside yard” setting is enabled, drivers can select Yard Move from the QSS only when they are within a geofenced yard of type Terminal or Yard. If they attempt to select Yard Move outside a designated yard, a “Yard Move restricted” message appears. Yard Move automatically switches to Driving in the following cases:
- When the vehicle exceeds the speed threshold of 32 km/h (this is applicable for Canada only).
- When the driver exits a geofenced yard (of type Terminal or Yard) while Yard Move is active, even if they are below the speed threshold.
Motive functionality: Yard move can be enabled or disabled in the Fleet Dashboard. Drivers select yard move in the Motive Driver App when connected to a vehicle. All yard move events are clearly marked as on-duty, not driving in the logs.
FAQs
What’s the difference between regulated and unregulated trips?
Regulated trips involve CMV operations subject to HOS rules, while unregulated trips do not count toward HOS limits and usually involve non-CMV use.
When does Motive’s ELD record driving status?
Driving is recorded automatically when a vehicle moves over 5 mph or when a driver manually changes their status to Driving in the app.
Can I use personal conveyance for any trip while off duty?
No. Personal conveyance can only be used for personal, non-work-related travel when you are relieved from all work responsibilities and not advancing a load.
How is yard move different from regular driving?
Yard move is for operating a CMV within a restricted area (like a terminal yard) and does not start your driving clock, but it does count as on-duty time.
How do I enable or disable Personal conveyance and yard move in Motive?
Fleet managers can enable or disable these options in the Fleet Dashboard. Drivers will then see the options in their Motive Driver App if enabled.
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