Short Haul Exemption: 150 Air Mile Rule Explained
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If you run local, the short haul exemption is probably the most valuable rule in the hours of service book. It lets qualifying drivers skip the daily record of duty status, which means no logbook and no ELD on those days. But it comes with conditions, and drivers get caught every week thinking they qualify when they don't. Here's how it really works, straight from 49 CFR 395.1(e), checked October 2026.
What Changed in the Short Haul Rule
FMCSA's 2020 hours of service rule widened the exemption in two ways. It expanded the radius from 100 to 150 air miles, and it stretched the allowed workday from 12 to 14 hours. Those changes took effect on September 29, 2020. A lot of carriers that used to need ELDs for some local routes now fall under the exemption, so if you haven't looked at it since 2020, it's worth a second look.
One thing didn't change: the exemption covers the logbook, not the hours limits. A short haul driver still has to follow the driving limits that apply to them. They just don't have to record their day on a log.
Who Qualifies
There are actually two short haul exemptions in 395.1(e). The first is for any driver, CDL or not. The second is an extra option just for drivers of property carrying trucks that don't need a CDL.
The 150 air mile exemption, 395.1(e)(1)
A driver is exempt from keeping a record of duty status if all of these are true:
- They operate within a 150 air mile radius of their normal work reporting location. FMCSA notes that equals 172.6 statute miles.
- They return to the work reporting location and are released within 14 consecutive hours. Driver salespeople are treated a bit differently on the return requirement.
- Property carrying drivers get at least 10 consecutive hours off between each 14 hour shift. Passenger carrying drivers need at least 8.
- The motor carrier keeps accurate time records for 6 months.
The non CDL option, 395.1(e)(2)
Drivers of property carrying vehicles that don't require a CDL have a second route. They have to stay within 150 air miles and return to the same location at the end of each duty tour. Under this option, they can't drive after the 14th hour after coming on duty on 5 days of any 7 day period, and after the 16th hour on 2 days of any 7 day period. The trade off is that drivers using this option can't also use the 150 air mile exemption in (e)(1), the sleeper berth provisions in 395.1(g), or the 16 hour exception in 395.1(o).
What "air miles" means
Air miles are measured in a straight line, not by road. A delivery that's 160 road miles away might still be well inside 150 air miles. Most dispatch and mapping tools can draw a radius ring around your yard so you can see what's in and out. Draw it once, print it, and keep it handy.
Time Records You Still Need
Here's the part people forget. The driver doesn't keep a log, but the carrier still has to keep time records for 6 months. Under 395.1(e)(1)(iv), those records must show:
- The time the driver reports for duty each day
- The total number of hours on duty each day
- The time the driver is released from duty each day
- For drivers used for the first time or only now and then, the total time for the preceding 7 days
A time clock, a timesheet app or a punch card system can all do the job, as long as the records are accurate and you can pull them during an audit. Many carriers keep using their ELD anyway, because the ELD creates these records automatically and switches the driver over the moment they leave the radius.
When You Lose the Exemption
The exemption is day by day. Any day a driver doesn't meet the conditions, they need a log for that day. The usual ways it happens:
- A delivery runs outside the 150 air mile radius.
- Traffic or a breakdown keeps the driver out past the 14th hour.
- The driver doesn't get the required time off before the next shift.
- The driver ends the day somewhere other than the work reporting location.
When that happens, the driver has to prepare a record of duty status for that day. And if they've been on duty in the previous 7 days, they need to account for those hours too, since the 60 and 70 hour limits still apply.
The 8 day rule and ELDs
Losing the exemption once in a while doesn't mean you need an ELD. Under 395.8(a)(1)(iii), a carrier can let a driver use paper logs instead of an ELD if the driver needs a record of duty status on no more than 8 days in any 30 day period. Once a driver goes past that, the carrier needs to put them on an ELD. For a local fleet, that's the number to watch. A paper logbook in the glove box covers the odd long day. A pattern of long days means it's time to install ELDs. Our ELD exemptions guide covers this and the other exceptions.
Examples for Local Drivers
The concrete driver
Luis drives a mixer with a CDL. He reports to the plant at 6:00 a.m., runs pours within 40 air miles all day, and clocks out at 5:30 p.m. That's 11.5 hours, well within 14, and he's off until the next morning. His carrier logs his start and end times. He qualifies every day, with no logbook needed.
The long Friday
Same driver, but on Friday a late pour keeps him out until 9:00 p.m. That's 15 hours after he reported, so he's lost the exemption for Friday. He needs to fill out a paper log for that day. If he's had fewer than 8 days like that in the last 30, paper is fine.
The box truck route
Kim drives a non CDL box truck for a furniture store. She has a 14 hour day four days a week and a 16 hour day once a week during busy season. She returns to the store every night and stays within 150 air miles. Under the non CDL option, two 16 hour days in 7 are allowed, so she's covered. But she can't also use the sleeper berth or 16 hour provisions under this option.
The out of radius trip
A dispatcher sends a local driver 175 air miles out for a one off delivery. The driver needs a log that day, plus a record of their hours for the prior 7 days. If the company does these trips a lot, the 8 days in 30 limit will catch up fast.
Practical Tips for Carriers
- Map your 150 air mile radius and share it with dispatch, so they know which loads break the exemption before assigning them.
- Keep a stack of paper logs in every truck for the odd day a driver loses the exemption.
- Track how many days each driver needs a log in a rolling 30 days. When someone's getting close to 8, plan for an ELD.
- Keep time records for at least 6 months, organized so you can pull a driver's month quickly.
- If you use ELDs anyway, set them up to apply the short haul exemption correctly so drivers aren't forced into unnecessary logs.
Need devices for drivers who go past the limits? Check our hours of service guide and compare ELD quotes for your fleet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is 150 air miles?
150 air miles is a straight line distance from your normal work reporting location. 49 CFR 395.1(e) states it equals 172.6 statute miles. Road distance will usually be longer.
Do short haul drivers need an ELD?
Not on days they meet the exemption. If a driver needs a record of duty status on more than 8 days in any 30 day period, the carrier must use an ELD for that driver.
Do short haul drivers still have hours limits?
Yes. The exemption removes the logbook requirement, not the driving limits. Drivers still follow the 11 hour, 60 hour and 70 hour rules that apply to them, and the 14 hour return requirement is part of the exemption itself.
What records does the carrier need for short haul drivers?
Time records kept for 6 months showing when the driver reported, total hours on duty, when they were released, and the prior 7 days for new or intermittent drivers.
Can a short haul driver use the sleeper berth split?
The 150 air mile exemption in 395.1(e)(1) does not bar it, but drivers using the non CDL option in 395.1(e)(2) cannot use the sleeper berth provisions in 395.1(g).
Sources
All prices, terms and registration details were checked October 2026 on the pages below. Providers change pricing often, so confirm before you buy.