The Short-Haul Exception (150 air-mile radius exemption) rule applies to the Hours of Service (HOS) regulations for certain commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know:
Who is Eligible for Short Haul Exception:
- This exemption applies to drivers who operate within a 150 air-mile radius of their normal work reporting location.
- It’s primarily intended for local delivery drivers who don’t engage in long-haul trips.
What’s Exempt:
Drivers operating under this exemption are not required to:
- Use electronic logging devices (ELDs) to track their driving time (important note: this may vary depending on your state)
- Comply with the daily and weekly HOS limits for driving time and on-duty time.
However, there are still some important requirements to remember:
- Drivers cannot exceed a maximum duty period of 14 consecutive hours after coming on duty.
- Drivers must report and return to their normal work reporting location within 14 consecutive hours.
- Drivers must still maintain a logbook to record their duty status (on-duty, driving, off-duty). This can be a paper logbook or an electronic logbook that is not an ELD.
Here are some additional points to consider:
- This exemption is a federal rule, but some states may have stricter HOS regulations that apply even within the 150 air-mile radius. It’s crucial to check with your state’s Department of Transportation (DOT) for any additional requirements.
- The 150 air-mile radius is measured using air miles, not road miles. You can use online tools or mapping services to calculate the air miles between your work reporting location and your driver’s farthest destination point.
- This exemption only applies to driving time and on-duty time. There are still rest break requirements that must be followed, although there is no specific mandated duration under this exemption.
References:
FMCSA Summary of Hours of Service Regulations: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/summary-hours-service-regulations
ELDs and Agriculture Exemptions: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/hours-service/elds/eld-hours-service-hos-and-agriculture-exemptions
Disclaimer: This content is generated with the help of AI Tools and reviewed before publishing.
