Yard move is a carrier-authorized special driving category recorded as on-duty not driving. The carrier should define eligible locations and purposes and obtain qualified review for ambiguous movement, especially on a public road.
What this means for your fleet
Define eligible locations and purposes, require a concise annotation, teach drivers when the status ends, and review yard-move use against geofence, dispatch, and public-road context.
Write a boundary the driver can apply
Yard move is a carrier-authorized special driving category recorded as on-duty not driving. The carrier should name eligible locations and purposes, require an annotation, and tell drivers when the category must end. Any movement on a public road or for an unclear operational purpose needs qualified review; “similar setting” should not become an unlimited local-driving rule.
What to check
Use these checks before changing a log, policy, device, integration, or buying decision.
| Check | How to verify |
|---|---|
| 1. Confirm carrier authorization | Keep the carrier policy showing who may use yard move, where it is allowed, and who granted the driver's authorization. |
| 2. Verify the location and movement purpose | Save the facility map or geofence, start/end locations, movement purpose, vehicle, driver, and dispatch record. |
| 3. Select the special category | Capture the original ELD event showing the selected special category, time, location, vehicle, and driver account. |
| 4. Add the required context | Retain the driver's annotation and dispatch context that explain the movement and the carrier's review result. |
| 5. End the status before ordinary driving | Show the end event before public-road or ordinary driving, then verify the next automatic driving event and audit history. |
Common failure modes
- Using yard move on a public road without qualified review.
- Leaving it active after departure.
- Using it to avoid driving time.
Limits and exceptions
This guide does not decide a fact-specific legal exception, certify a record, or guarantee a compliance, safety, cost, or audit outcome. Keep the original ELD record and any edit history. Use the current official rule for applicability and the exact installed-device manual for screen-by-screen actions.
Sources, review date, and limits
Reviewed August 10, 2026. Each source supports only the point described beside it. Rules and product details can change; recheck dynamic facts before changing a fleet workflow or signing a contract.
- Official recording-HOS FAQ covering duty status, personal conveyance, yard move, team-driver records, odometer/location data, and edits — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
- Editing, annotation, certification, and original-record preservation — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
- Current first-party product, plan, feature, and support representations; dynamic facts require release-date recheck — Factor ELD.
Review the exact operation
Bring the driver, vehicle, trip, jurisdiction, current official rule, and original ELD record for a qualified determination. Factor ELD can demonstrate its current product; rule applicability remains a fleet compliance decision.