What is your company's average driving time?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by ev500, Mar 28, 2015.

  1. ev500

    ev500 Bobtail Member

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    Im currently a trainer for Western Express.) Yes we do have some bad reps here and there. As for me, I train those who are fit to be a truck driver. The ones that don't listen are put on the kill-list on the examiners board.

    But I just wanted to see other people's answers. Our average driving time a day is 5hrs 30min for both van and flatbed. Beyond stupid? Yes. God knows why people here are stuck with the "more miles more pay" mindset. For me, I never deny a load, even if its a 200 mile run, ill be happy, because I know it will pay more.


    It sucks when I get a ragdoll as a student. Can't drive, shift, or pay attention to the signs. I know if I get a student like this, Ill only sleep 3-5 hours a day for the first 2 weeks, and those sleep hours are me sitting on the passenger seat haha :).
     
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  3. TruckerPete1990

    TruckerPete1990 Road Train Member

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    Mine is 10-11 hours a day now. We got turned down to 64 and they still want us to do 700 miles a day which doesn't happen now I'm doing more 34 resets then anything
     
  4. flyingmusician

    flyingmusician Road Train Member

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    more like everywhere with the rare exception lol sorry I couldn't resist but that is an earned rep it isn't like somebody just woke up one day and decided they were bad.

    that said I do personally know someone on flatbed side who is doing pretty well and pretty happy there......but she rarely ever goes home either.

    I used to hate those students too. I was a trainer at my previous company. the rare few that are good right out of school are a gift. the rest......if you don't have the patience and disposition to train it can be a nightmare.

    5 1/2hr a day average? unless you're just perpetually on recap I wouldn't pack a bag for that.

    solo now at my current company my average is 10+ a day and more days than not I run it down to 15 minutes or less. I run it to the wire every day even though I've got pretty wide windows on most deliveries and i'm at one of the rare few companies where you don't have to chase miles to make a killing. i'll always drop at the start of a window rather than the end of it. home every weekend with a 3000 average. if I'm going to be away from home 5-6 days at a time I'm not going to be sitting. my company can run me like that and knows I like to run like that so they do.

    at my previous company training I still did an average of 9+ a day. no team training. student driving, me in the jumpseat supervising and training as I should be. I got a bonus for training and the student got a better than average training check as they were paid by the mile and not one of these flat rate bs training wages. I ran them hard. if they could hang with me and run my schedule most likely they'd be successful solo and all of them have been.

    you're right about short trips paying more on a per mile basis.....at some companies depending on how the pay structure is set. at my previous company it made no difference. my current company is structured differently and I never turn them down. at my current company, with all accessory pay items added in, the short trips pay almost double than the long runs. knock out 2-4 in a day and you made way more than if you'd been running solid all day on one trip. most guys at my company haven't figured that one out yet. they whine about the short ones while I'm jumping on them and making a killing.
     
  5. G.Anthony

    G.Anthony Road Train Member

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    Doesn't Western Express "re-cycle some of the students that you do not get along with? I'll explain this is a bit below.

    To me, at the very beginning to drive so few hours, (I think) acclimates the newbie for longer times and differing hours of operation, until he/she can actually run full out 11 hours. I think that if you deny a load, you just won't get your trainer's pay as you get paid your miles of driving, or when the student is driving, which now beckons me to say that you said, "people here are stuck with the mind-set of more miles more pay". SO in theory, you too have that mind-set, no?


    Not everyone can afford to buy Izod clothing. Not all students can shift or pay attention to signs, They are too geared up and excited. It is YOUR JOB to calm them down, and NOT by yelling at them. And If you sleep while in the jump seat, while they are driving? I personally see you as a failure at your job, your responsibilities, which to me is why I had asked earlier if Western Express re-cycles some students, especially when the trainer is lousy at it!
     
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  6. ev500

    ev500 Bobtail Member

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    They re-cycle them until the students get frustrated and then ask for a bus ticket to go home. I personally don't deny loads unless the pre-loaded trailer itself is not road worthy condition. Everytime they pull that "high value" flag on a damaged trailer, Ill just remind them that I hauled triples in Alaska, I can look at a trailer in a distance and tell you whats wrong with it.

    As far as the sleeping part, I run my hours at night, and let me students drive during the day. Sometimes I take naps here and there. I worked for Allied after I quit Cummings and Lynden: thats where I developed the 3-5 hour a day rest because working for a moving company, it was physical labor from 7am in the morning till 5 in the afternoon and then drive all night.

    So to sum it up, im picky with my students. If they can't run or try to run with my schedule (4000-5000 miles a week) then I will fail them, period. Western's got the trucks set at 63, but not my truck. The compensation bonus is nice but its not worthy when I get a phone call saying "the driver you trained got in an accident".

    The only time where I had to drive over 11 hours was because i had an FBI shipment, government loads, and this was when I worked with allied. Texas to Virginia? Only 1 day, non-stop rolling.
     
  7. tinytim

    tinytim Road Train Member

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    That's impressive. :|
     
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  8. G.Anthony

    G.Anthony Road Train Member

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    And I hauled doubles on the NJTP, and NY thru way, see a 4 or 6 wheeler ahead and tell you it's an ice cream truck, what's yer point?

    I worked Allied here in my area as well, going up/down 4 flights of stairs, no service elevators, what's yer point?

    As a trainer and calling them ragdolls, suggests that you want GQ dressed drivers for one. They are humans first, students second, they are as I have said geared up as it is now the job they wanted to do and are excited. If they cannot "run your schedule", then perhaps you should not be a trainer, as I see you pushing them INTO a dangerous situation. ANd by the way, nearly any trainer can have at some time and point, a "grad" of his to have an accident. I highly doubt W/E will call you immediately after said crash. Then the burning part from YOU was that you sleep in the jump seat while the student is driving. You're not a trainer at that point. This makes YOU negligent, in your duty.

    The only MANY times I ran over my 11 was due to bad weather, accident, or construction. And I had a few times driven by FBI offices, the CIA in fact, and a public library in Tuscaloosa.

    Yeah, NOT
     
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  9. bad-luck

    bad-luck Road Train Member

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    well first it's not a secret that Western Express' pay scale is very low. so if you're only driving five and a half hours a day I can't see how anybody can survive there and make any money at all
     
    G.Anthony and Moving Forward Thank this.
  10. thelushlarry

    thelushlarry Road Train Member

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    My drive time varies just depends on how long it takes to get there.
     
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  11. pattyj

    pattyj Road Train Member

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    If 5 hrs and 30 min is westerns policy then you should be telling them its beyond stupid.I think the first week of that drive time is normal.There's no need to push the students.Remember safety first and I hope you're not one of those trainers that uses students for the miles.
     
    Mudguppy and truckerlife74 Thank this.
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