Duty Status Changes
Your duty status tells the system — and any inspector — what you are doing at any given time. Changing your status correctly is one of the most important things you do in the RouteMate app. It keeps your Hours of Service (HOS) logs accurate and keeps you in compliance with FMCSA regulations.
The Four Main Duty Statuses
Section titled “The Four Main Duty Statuses”Every driver uses these four core statuses throughout their day:
| Status | When to Use It |
|---|---|
| Off Duty | You are done working and free to use your time as you wish. Not driving, not performing any work-related tasks. |
| Sleeper Berth | You are resting in the sleeper berth compartment of your truck. This counts toward your required rest period. |
| Driving | You are operating the commercial motor vehicle. This status is usually set automatically by the ELD when the vehicle is in motion. |
| On Duty (Not Driving) | You are working but not driving — for example, loading/unloading, fueling, doing a pre-trip inspection, or handling paperwork at a shipper. |
Additional Statuses
Section titled “Additional Statuses”Depending on your company’s settings and your carrier profile, you may also have access to these special statuses:
- Personal Conveyance (PC) — Used when you are driving the vehicle for personal reasons (not for work), such as driving to a restaurant or hotel. This time does not count against your HOS clocks. Your company must enable this feature.
- Yard Move (YM) — Used when you are moving the vehicle within a yard or terminal (not on public roads). Your company must enable this feature.
- Manual Driving — Allows you to manually record driving time when the ELD cannot detect vehicle motion (for example, if the ELD is disconnected). This status may need to be used in specific situations per your company’s policy.
Note: Personal Conveyance and Yard Move are optional features controlled by your fleet manager. If you do not see them in the app, check with your company to see if they are enabled for your account.
How to Change Your Status
Section titled “How to Change Your Status”Changing your duty status is quick and straightforward:
- From the home screen, tap the large duty status box at the top of the dashboard.
- The status selection screen appears, showing all available statuses.
- Tap the status you want to switch to.
- Enter a location or remark in the text field. This is required for every status change and must be between 5 and 60 characters. For example: “Truck stop Elm St, Dallas TX” or “Loading at warehouse”.
- Tap Confirm (or the equivalent button) to save the change.
Your new status takes effect immediately and is recorded in your daily log.
Tip: Be descriptive but brief with your location entries. Include enough detail so that anyone reviewing your logs can understand where you were and what you were doing. A city name and a short note usually works well.
Automatic Status Changes
Section titled “Automatic Status Changes”The RouteMate app works with your ELD to detect vehicle motion and automatically manage certain status changes:
Automatic Switch to Driving
Section titled “Automatic Switch to Driving”When the ELD detects that your vehicle is moving (above a certain speed threshold), the app will automatically change your status to Driving. You do not need to do anything — the ELD handles it.
Stationary Detection and Countdown Warning
Section titled “Stationary Detection and Countdown Warning”When the vehicle has been stationary for a period of time while you are in Driving status, the app will display a countdown warning. This gives you a chance to confirm whether you have stopped driving. If you do not respond, the app will prompt you to select the appropriate status (such as On Duty or Off Duty).
Note: Automatic driving detection only works when the ELD is connected and functioning. If the ELD is disconnected, you may need to change your status manually.
Status Color Coding
Section titled “Status Color Coding”Each status is displayed with a distinct color so you can identify your current status at a glance:
| Status | Color |
|---|---|
| Off Duty | Gray |
| Sleeper Berth | Dark blue / navy |
| Driving | Green |
| On Duty (Not Driving) | Yellow / amber |
| Personal Conveyance | Purple |
| Yard Move | Orange |
The color appears in the large status box on your home screen, in your daily log graph, and in the status selection screen.
Tip: Get familiar with the colors so you can confirm your status with a quick glance at the dashboard — especially useful when your phone is mounted on the windshield.
When You Cannot Change Your Status
Section titled “When You Cannot Change Your Status”There are a few situations where you may not be able to change to certain statuses:
- While the vehicle is in motion, you cannot switch to Off Duty or Sleeper Berth for safety reasons. You must stop the vehicle first.
- If your fleet manager has restricted certain statuses, they may not appear in your list. For example, Personal Conveyance may not be available if your company has not enabled it.
- If you are under an active edit request from your fleet manager, you may need to accept or reject the proposed changes before making new status updates.
Related Pages
Section titled “Related Pages”- Home Screen Overview — Get the full picture of everything on your dashboard.
- HOS Clocks — See how your duty status affects your remaining driving and on-duty time.
- Viewing Daily Logs — Review your log history and see how status changes are recorded.