How to Set Work Hours & Auto-Classify Drives in MileIQ - EVERYTHING You MUST Know!!

One of MileIQ’s best time-saving features is its ability to automatically classify drives for you. Most drivers don’t realize that setting up Work Hours can cut down on manual swipes and help keep their mileage logs cleaner with less effort.

However, this can lead to problems if you don’t know some of the nuances behind this feature and some of the challenges that can come up if it is not kept up-to-date.

So in this article, We are talking about:

• How to Set Work Hours and Auto Classify Drives in MileIQ

• How it ACTUALLY is for Gig Workers and other professions who track their miles

• Everything in between!

Disclaimer: The content of this article does not contain and is never intended to be legal, business, financial, tax, or health advice of any kind, This article is for entertainment purposes only. It is advised that you conduct your own research and consult with qualified professionals before applying anything you find online. 

I also want to be clear that everything we are going to go over is very market dependent, and what applies to me and my market may not apply to you.

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Why Setting Work Hours Matters (And When to Skip It)

Every mile you drive counts toward your deduction, but classifying hundreds of trips manually can be a chore. MileIQ’s Work Hours feature lets you automatically classify drives during certain times of day — a huge time-saver if you follow a fairly consistent schedule.

But here’s the thing: gig work isn’t always predictable. Some weeks you might work mornings, others late nights, or maybe you just hop on when the apps are busy. If your hours are all over the place, auto-classification might create more work by incorrectly labeling trips you didn’t actually take for business.

Bottom line: Work Hours are great if you have a set schedule (like weekday lunch/dinner shifts or regular route work). If you work on-demand, you can skip this feature and just classify trips manually once or twice a week to keep your log clean without risking mistakes.

How to Set Work Hours in MileIQ

The settings for this are straight forward but also kind of deep in your app. 

1. Open the MileIQ App

   • Launch MileIQ on your phone and head to the settings menu (gear icon).

2. Find the Work Hours Section

   • Scroll down until you see “Work Hours” or “Work Schedule” — this is where you’ll configure your driving schedule.

3. Set Your Schedule

   • Choose the days of the week you typically drive and select your start and end times.

   • Example: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

   • Or for gig drivers: Wednesday–Sunday, 4:00 PM to 2:00 AM

4. Enable Auto-Classify

   • Make sure “Auto-Classify Drives During Work Hours” is turned on. This will mark any drive during those hours as business by default.

Pro Tips for Using Work Hours

Review Weekly: Auto-classification is great, but you should still review your trips once a week to catch any personal drives that happened during work hours (like a mid-shift grocery run). This is especially important if something unusual happened that week — like picking up your kid from school unexpectedly, a medical appointment, or on the positive side, rushing out for an urgent client meeting. Catching those exceptions keeps your log accurate and protects you if you’re ever audited.

Consider Your Work Style: If you have a rotating schedule or hybrid setup — for example, a W-2 job with hours that change every week plus gig work on the side — be careful with auto-classification. Work Hours might not reflect your real driving patterns and could mislabel drives. In this case, weekly or even daily classification reviews are your best bet to keep your logs accurate.

Use Categories for Multiple Gigs: If you do different types of work — like construction projects in busy months and delivery work in slower months — set up categories for each income stream. This will keep your mileage reports organized and make it clear to your CPA or Tax Professional which miles are tied to which type of work.

Stay Flexible: Your schedule and income mix can change throughout the year — especially if you’re building something for yourself business-wise. As your business grows, you might spend more time on admin work, client meetings, or marketing, which shifts when and how you drive. Update your Work Hours and categories whenever your routine changes so your log always reflects how you’re actually spending your time.

Work With a Tax Professional: Even with perfect Work Hours setup, a tax professional can help you decide whether the standard mileage deduction or actual expenses save you more, make sure your deductions are correct, and guide you on quarterly tax payments. I recommend using a gig-focused service like GigTax — they understand gig workers and small business owners, Whether you’re a rideshare driver, do food delivery, or any other self employed work, your time is too valuable to waste on tax prep.

So while you keep hustling, GigTax can help you save big and can make sure your records work for you, not against you! 

GigTax was founded by Joseph Mayo, a seasoned Gig Worker with over 7000 deliveries across 7 platforms since 2020, and they understand the challenges of freelancers, rideshare drivers, couriers, online sellers and gig workers of all kinds! 

Their #1 Online Tax Preparation service is designed to maximize your tax savings and save you time, energy and money!

Enjoy exclusive discounts on tax prep services as well as a range of additional benefits such as:

• Electronic Filing

• State Filing

• Year-Round Direct Access to Tax Pros and Financial Partners

• Client App and Portal

• Audit Support

All Absolutely Free and Incredibly Valued Benefits when filing with GigTax!

If you are ready to keep more of what you earn, check out drivenwyld.com/gigtax to book your strategy session and learn more about how GigTax can help you simplify and save on your taxes today!

Why This Saves You Money

By cutting down on manual classification, you’re less likely to miss trips or leave drives unclassified — both of which can cost you money at tax time. Accurate, consistent logs mean you get every deduction you’re entitled to and avoid IRS headaches.

But just as important, regularly reviewing your trips helps catch unusual events — like last-minute school pickups, doctor’s visits, or urgent client calls — so they’re classified correctly. This not only keeps your reports clean but also prevents you from accidentally over- or under-claiming miles.

And here’s the real bonus: automating and streamlining this process frees up your time for higher-value work. Instead of spending hours on manual bookkeeping, you can focus on growing your business, finding better-paying gigs, or even just taking more orders. Time saved here is money earned elsewhere.

Final Thoughts

Setting Work Hours in MileIQ can be a huge time-saver, but it’s not a “set it and forget it” feature. The real power comes from combining it with weekly reviews, custom categories, and flexibility as your schedule or business changes.

And don’t forget the most valuable benefit: time freedom. By letting MileIQ handle the busywork of tracking and classifying drives, you can shift your focus to what actually grows your income — taking more orders, finding higher-paying gigs, or building out your own business opportunities.

Finally, work with a tax professional. A gig-focused tax pro or service like GigTax can take your clean, accurate mileage logs and make sure you’re maximizing deductions, staying compliant, and planning ahead for quarterly taxes.

If you haven’t tried MileIQ yet, now is the perfect time:

Sign up for MileIQ here — and unlock automatic mileage tracking.

If you would like to add some other perspective to the Work hours setting on MileIQ, feel free to email me: drivenwyld@gmail.com and who knows? Maybe your email or perspective and be featured in a post as well!