Photo by Sonja Langford on Unsplash
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) petitioned the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to set a time or distance cap on truck drivers’ personal conveyance, but the FMCSA once again denied the request. The term “personal conveyance” describes the use of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) for off-duty, personal travel, including visiting a restaurant or hotel, without the load being delivered for the carrier’s profit. As long as their employer releases them from all work obligations, drivers may record this time as off-duty in accordance with current FMCSA regulations.
CVSA said in its petition that the current policy on personal conveyance time is inadequate and raises safety issues. They cited statistics indicating that attempts to hide hours-of-service violations accounted for 61% of the 3,041 infractions reported under the personal conveyance legislation. Without explicit restrictions, CVSA argued, drivers would abuse their vehicles to drive longer than permitted, which would increase road tiredness and danger.
The FMCSA, however, rejected the petition, claiming that there was not enough information to warrant new or changed regulations. Although abuse of this time is a worry, the agency stressed that enforcement officers are already spotting infractions without the need for time or distance restrictions. The FMCSA also pointed out that without conclusive proof of safety benefits, imposing arbitrary limits may have unforeseen effects.
The FMCSA has not modified its position as of yet. Motor carriers are still free to set their own rules about personal transportation, including more stringent restrictions or outright bans. Trucking sector stakeholders are waiting for further information on this topic as the debate continues.