CVSA calls for a maximum limit on use of personal conveyance by truck drivers
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) recently told Congress that there should be more restrictions on the use of personal conveyance by commercial vehicle drivers following a rise in “abuse and misuse” of the provision.
On July 29, 2025, the CVSA submitted public comments to the U.S. Senate on the recent hearing, “Shifting Gears: Issues Impacting the Trucking and Commercial Bus Industries in the U.S” intended to help lawmakers better understand issues facing the trucking industry.
The CVSA’s comments touched on a variety of trucking topics, including universal electronic vehicle identifiers for commercial vehicles, automated trucks, and ELD certification standards.
Notably, the CVSA’s comments include a recommendation that federal transportation authorities add a maximum time limit to the use of the personal conveyance exemption in order to reduce the risk of driver fatigue.
“Opportunities for driver fatigue can be reduced by clarifying the definition of personal conveyance within the FMCSRs by adding a maximum time for its use. Under personal conveyance, a driver is able to use a loaded or unloaded CMV for personal use and count that driving time as off-duty time. With the current definition of personal conveyance, a driver can drive hundreds of miles over the course of several hours under the designation of personal conveyance before, during, or after their workday, putting them at risk for increased levels of fatigue,” the CVSA said.
The CVSA said that inspectors have reported an uptick in “abuse and misuse” of personal conveyance in recent years:
“Roadside inspectors see countless examples of this occurring, with drivers claiming they are operating their vehicle for personal use, when in reality they are extending their driving time. Some common examples of personal conveyance abuse include using personal conveyance for up to 10 hours between dropping off loads and going to the next pick up; driving over two hours claiming they are looking for a place to park when there are open spaces along the two-hour drive; using personal conveyance to make up for time lost at loading docks; and switching to personal conveyance time just before violating the 11- or 14-hour rules. Allowing significant extension of driving time with the use of personal conveyance undermines the goals of the hours-of-service regulations, which exist to mitigate the impacts of fatigue on highway safety.
In recent years, CVSA inspectors have observed a rise in personal conveyance abuse and misuse. For example, as part of a data collection conducted by CVSA in 2023, CVSA found that when personal conveyance was being used by a driver, it was being used improperly nearly 40% of the time. Additionally, CVSA has seen an increase in false log violations, which is where personal conveyance violations are documented. False log violations have jumped from the seventh most frequently cited driver violation in 2019 to the third most cited in 2021, 2022 and 2023. In 2024, false log violations were the twelfth most frequently cited driver violation. When looking at “false logs – personal conveyance” violations, the number of violations rose from the 60th most frequently cited driver violation in 2021 (when the specific violation code was created) to the 27th most frequently cited in 2024.“
“Using personal conveyance to extend driving time increases the possibility of fatigued driving and can endanger other road users. Placing a limit on the time that a driver can use personal conveyance is a strategy for mitigating fatigued driving that should be implemented,” the CVSA concluded.