Hours of Service: The 100/150 Air Mile Exemptions

The FMCSA’s hours of service regulations are a complex set of rules aimed at ensuring drivers of large vehicles are not too tired or overworked to drive safely.

Long-haul CDL drivers who travel outside of 100 air miles are required to take a 30-minute rest every eight hours and to log all of their activity during a 24-hour time frame. This includes everything from driving time, to fueling, to time spent in a sleeper berth.

DOT-regulated businesses that operate primarily in a local area are allowed to utilize what’s known as the 100/150 Air Mile Radius Exemption.

What is an Air Mile?

An “air mile” is a nautical measurement of distance that basically excludes any twists or turns.  So, if your headquarters is located at Point A, an air mile is the distance you would travel in a straight line to your destination – Point B.

Who Can Utilize the 100/150 Air Mile Exemption?

The 100 air mile exemption is for CDL drivers who:

• Operate within 100 air miles
• Go off duty within 12 hours
• Report back to the same work location every day
• Have at least 10 consecutive hours off before starting their next on-duty period

The 150 air mile exemption is for non-CDL drivers who:

• Operate within 150 air miles
• Do not drive through any state that requires a CDL for the type of vehicle being driven
• Report back to the same work location every day
• Do not drive after the 14^th hour of coming on duty in a period of seven consecutive days
• Do not drive after the 16^th hour of coming on duty in a period of two consecutive days

What are you Exempt From?

Certain hours of service rules apply no matter what. For example, drivers are never allowed to drive more than 11 hours, nor are they allowed to drive after having been on duty for 14 hours.

Although drivers are not required to maintain a detailed log of their duty status, they are required to record their on-duty time.

Time Records

Drivers who qualify for these exemptions must maintain a record of:

• The time they go on duty
• The total number of hours they are on duty
• The time they go off duty

It is important to understand that ALL of the qualifications listed above must be met in order to use the exemption.  If a situation arises that nullifies even one of the qualifications, then all of the standard hours of service rules apply.  For example:  Joe Plumber begins his day at 8:00am. At 7:30pm he is still working on a job that is taking far longer than expected. At 8:00pm, Joe must begin keeping a log detailing all his time from 8:00am for the next 24 hours. In addition, he has to make sure he is done working by 10:00pm or he cannot use his truck to drive home.

Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Mandate Exemptions

Anybody who qualifies for the 100/150 air mile exemption is also exempt from the upcoming ELD mandate.

(For additional ELD restrictions, stay tuned until tomorrow when we’ll briefly review all mandate exceptions.)

As with all Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, it is important to familiarize yourself with the hours-of-service requirements.  It may seem like an unnecessary hassle for companies that don’t travel long distances, but should a FMCSA auditor find you out of compliance with any of the hours of service rules, the hassle that may ensue could be far more severe.

Questions or concerns? Leave them in the comments section below!