The DOT 150 Air-Mile Rule: Navigating Compliance and Fleet Safety

Fleet managers are no strangers to regulations and have to be familiar with both federal and state requirements. But while many regulations put limits on what drivers can do, the DOT’s 150 air-mile rule actually offers some flexibility for short-hauls—if you understand how to take advantage of it.

This guide will examine how the 150 air-mile rule (also known as the short-haul exemption) works, who qualifies, and how to navigate the benefits and challenges of staying compliant.

Let’s get one thing straight: an air mile isn’t quite the same as a road mile. An air mile is a nautical mile, which measures a little longer than a standard mile. So, 150 air miles actually translate to about 172.6 road miles—good to know when calculating your range under this exemption.

Not every driver qualifies for the short-haul exemption, and that’s by design. The rule aims to offer a balance between operational flexibility and safety. Here’s who qualifies:

• Drivers who stay within a 150 air-mile (or 172.6 road-mile) radius of their starting point. The thought behind this is that short-haul drivers are less likely to face fatigue or need lengthy breaks to stay alert.
• Drivers who return to their base and wrap up their day within 14 hours. This timeframe is important for limiting fatigue, and ensuring drivers aren’t behind the wheel for unsafe amounts of time.
• Property-carrying drivers who have at least 10 hours off-duty between shifts. These rest requirements help prevent overwork, maintaining a focus on safety and alertness on the road.

If your short-haul drivers meet these criteria, they can bypass some of the tedious paperwork involved in logging hours and duty status, as we’ll discuss next.

While the 150 air-mile rule can make documentation easier, you need to know what it exempts and what it doesn’t. Here are the main exemptions:

• No Daily Logs Required: Typically, commercial drivers have to maintain detailed logs, tracking their duty status (on-duty, off-duty, driving, etc.) throughout the day. Short-haul drivers only have to note their start and end times and the total hours worked. This means fewer distractions from the road, less paperwork at the end of a shift, and simpler operations for fleet managers.
• Exemption from ELDs: The ELD mandate requires drivers to use electronic logging devices to track hours, which can be an expensive undertaking for fleets. Short-haul drivers are exempt from this requirement, which can help reduce your fleet’s operational costs.
• No 30-Minute Break Requirement: Commercial drivers have to take a 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving, but drivers using the 150 air-mile exemption aren’t held to that rule. This is helpful for local or regional fleets where drivers make shorter trips and need more flexibility to manage their time.

It’s important to note that this rule does not exempt drivers from all DOT and FMSCA regulations. Drivers still need to follow hours-of-service rules and maintain their qualifications, like holding a valid CDL and carrying a current medical card. The rule is designed to make things easier, not to cut corners on safety.

The 150 air-mile rule offers real advantages for short-haul drivers. Eliminating daily logs and ELD requirements minimizes paperwork and cuts costs, making DOT compliance less of a headache. Fleet managers get more flexibility, especially on local routes, where time and simplicity matter. It’s a rule designed to keep things efficient without overcomplicating daily operations.

The short-haul exemption makes things easier in some ways, but it’s not without its challenges. Drivers still need to stick to the 150-air-mile radius and be back at base within 14 hours, which can be difficult if they hit unexpected traffic or delays. Fleet managers also need to stay on top of record-keeping—every timesheet, start and end time, and hours worked must be kept for six months. Missing or inaccurate records can lead to compliance violations and potential fees, so staying organized is crucial.

Staying compliant with the 150 air-mile rule requires attention to detail and the right tools. These tips help keep your fleet on track.

• Educate your drivers: Ensure they fully understand the 150 air-mile rule, including the importance of staying within the radius and returning to base within 14 hours.
• Optimize routes: Route optimization tools help drivers avoid delays, stay within the required distance, and make their shifts more efficient.
• Consider ELDs for hours-of-service tracking: While ELDs aren’t required for short-haul drivers, they can still be useful for monitoring hours of service and ensuring compliance with overall fleet regulations.

Working with a trusted partner like Omnitracs (now part of Solera Fleet Solutions) can make all the difference. Their tools help simplify compliance, improve fleet operations, and prevent costly mistakes.

To learn more about how Omnitracs can support your fleet, visit Omnitracs Compliance Solutions.