On duty yard move

Depending on who you talk to (and what time of day it is when you talk to them) yard move is a "special driving status", thus using it after the end of the 14 could be considered a driving violation.

It's not. But it could be.

The problem is yard move only shows up in interpretations, not the regulations. Every mother's son has an opinion.

 

Technically, according to the FMCSA stuff, On Duty Yard Move isn't a "Drive" status, so can be done outside of your 14 hour clock. But, realize that it can't be done during your 10 hour break or a sleeper berth break. What I mean by that is if you are working on a 10 hour break, say you're 4 hours into it, and go to On Duty Yard Move, you'll have to either completely restart your 10 hour break or perhaps use sleeper berth split provisions after you're finished with the yard move. It is On Duty and that time won't mix with any break times except for the 30 minute break.
All that said 2 more caveats: 1. Many company policies further restrict or limit what they allow for Yard Move stuff. So, need to get with your company to understand any additional limits or restrictions they may put on using Yard Move. But, that's company policy stuff and not FMCSA stuff. 2. Yard Move CAN NOT be used on any public road. It is designed for use while a driver is within their company's terminal area. I'm unsure if you can use Yard Move at a shipper or Receiver facility if you remain completely on their property. But, I have my doubts that'd fly. It's intended to be used at your company's terminal if it is used at all.
I have used Yard Move numerous times and find it convenient in several situations. After my 10 hour break, I have used it to go find and hook up to an empty trailer for my next load without having to start my 14. Also to take truck to shop or retrieve it from the shop, once again, without having to start my 14 hour clock. Lastly, used it when my clock got really low and made it to the terminal but did’t have enough drive time left to find a place to drop my empty and park. I've only ever used it while I'm on one of my company's terminals.

 

Once you go on duty (yard move or just regular on duty) your 14 hour clock starts.

I personally use it any time I’m driving but not on a public road, customers, yards, truck stops, ect. Others interpretation may very.

 

I thought you can use it anywhere that isn't accessible to the public like a DC or terminal. Truck stops wouldn't qualify. A warehouse that doesn't have a guarded gate would kind of be a grey area. I use it anyway. I don't think that the DOT would harass you for using it at a shipper or con that had open access.

 

Well if you want to be technical, Yard Move isn't a legal status. As @gentleroger said, it's simply an interpretation based on wording in the ELD regulation. And all that wording is, is to create a special status on ELD's called Yard Move. There is no definition of what a Yard Move is.
And before anyone claims I'm wrong, go read FMCSA 395 and find any spot that gives an exception to the Drive definition, that is written in the regulations directly.
For reference the definition of Drive is "Driving time means all time spent at the driving controls of a commercial motor vehicle in operation."

That said, yes I'm aware of the guidance and no one will ever get in trouble for using Yard Move, it's just one of those inconsistencies in the FMCSA regs.

 

On our trucks it the logs are "triggered" at any movement. There is no creep mode

 

Yes. The only restrictions apply to Driving. You can be On-Duty for a thousand hours moving trailers on private property, you just cannot Drive on public roads until you comply with the 70 hours rule, the 10 hour break, 30 minute break rule, etc.

 

If you log out of the ELD, who's to say who drove the truck those short "yard moves"? Could have been a mechanic or some other person driving the truck.
Why would the mechanics time be charged to you?

 

Just so you know.. Legally that mechanic needs his own login and actually login if he moves the truck, so it should be under his name. Of course that breaks down if said mechanic doesn't even have a CDL as they never drive in public roads. And other non public driving reasons. What tends to happen is the drive time would not be assigned to anyone at all.

 

We have to log out when we leave the truck. The mechanics are supposed to log in but never do. We use Samsara via our phones, or company provided tablet if the driver doesn’t want to use their phone.

On Monday morning when coming in, it will tell me of any unclaimed drive time on the truck and then ask if it’s mine? You select “not mine” and it doesn’t count against you.