It depends on the setup of the carrier’s yard. Under federal rules, anyone who operates a “commercial motor vehicle” (CMV) as defined in 390.5 must be qualified. By definition, a CMV is a vehicle operated on (or across) a “highway,” which includes any area (public or private) open to public travel. Therefore, if the yard is not gated and has no signs or other restrictions keeping the public from driving into the yard, then the yard is a highway and the yard drivers must be licensed and qualified the same as any over-the-road driver. State requirements may vary for in-state-only operations.