Yard Moves on an ELD: 7 Rules to Log Them Right (2026)
Yard moves are short, slow movements of a truck inside a terminal, distribution center or other private lot. Without a special status, an ELD treats any movement over 5 mph as driving, so every trailer shuffle would chip away at your 11 hour limit. Yard move status fixes that, but only if you use it the way FMCSA intends. Here are the seven rules that matter.
1. A Yard Move Is On Duty, Not Driving
Yard move time is recorded as on duty not driving. It still counts toward your 14 hour window and your 60 or 70 hour weekly limit. It does not count toward the 11 hour driving limit or the 8 hours of driving that trigger the 30 minute break.
| Clock | Does yard move time count? |
|---|---|
| 11 hour driving limit | No |
| 14 hour driving window | Yes |
| 60 or 70 hour weekly limit | Yes |
| 8 hours of driving before a 30 minute break | No |
2. It Must Happen in a Yard
FMCSA guidance published in June 2018 describes a yard move as movement of a CMV in a yard, such as a terminal, a shipper or receiver lot, or an intermodal yard. Typical examples are moving a trailer to a loading door, taking the truck to the yard fuel island, or repositioning equipment between rows.
3. Public Roads Only Count If Access Is Restricted
The same guidance allows a yard move on a public road only when public access is restricted by traffic control while the move happens. Think of a port or a plant where a guard or a gate stops traffic so trucks can cross. A normal public street between two lots of the same company is not a yard move. That is driving.
4. Your Carrier Has to Allow It
Yard move is a special driving category under the ELD rule, and the carrier decides whether to turn it on for each driver. If the option does not show in your app, ask your safety team rather than trying to fix the movement with edits later. Some carriers only enable it for yard drivers or for specific locations.
5. Select It Before You Move
Pick yard move status before the wheels turn. If you start rolling first, the ELD logs driving time automatically and you may not be able to change it. Driving time the ELD records from engine data cannot be edited away by the driver, and a carrier edit still needs your approval. Our guide to editing ELD logs explains what can and cannot be changed afterwards.
6. End It When You Leave the Yard
Yard move should stop the moment your work inside the facility is done. Many apps ask you to confirm the status again after the engine is shut off and restarted, and the status ends when you pick a different duty status. If you head out onto a public road to start your trip, switch to driving or let the ELD do it. Pulling out of the gate under yard move status is the classic misuse auditors look for.
7. Keep It Short and Believable
There is no hard speed or time cap in the guidance, but yard moves should look like yard moves. A long stretch at highway speed under yard status is an obvious red flag in an audit, because GPS and engine data show exactly where the truck went. Keep annotations clear, like "moving trailer 4412 to door 18."
Common Yard Move Mistakes
| Mistake | Why it is a problem | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Leaving yard move on after exiting the gate | Driving time is hidden from the 11 hour clock | Switch status before leaving the facility |
| Using yard move between two lots on a public street | A public road without restricted access is driving | Log it as driving |
| Starting to move before choosing yard move | The ELD records driving automatically | Select the status first |
| No annotation | Hard to explain in an audit | Add a short note for each move |
Yard moves are easy to confuse with personal conveyance, the other special category. Personal conveyance is off duty movement for personal reasons. Yard moves are on duty work movement inside a facility. They are not interchangeable.
If your current ELD makes these categories hard to use, it may be worth comparing devices. Our ELD buyer checklist lists the features worth asking about.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does yard move time count as driving?
No. It is logged as on duty not driving, so it counts toward the 14 hour window and weekly limit but not the 11 hour driving limit.
Can I use yard move on a public road?
Only when public access to that road is restricted by traffic control during the move, according to FMCSA guidance from June 2018.
Why is yard move missing from my ELD app?
Carriers choose whether to enable it. Ask your safety department to turn it on if your job includes yard work.
Sources
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