What are "Practical Miles"?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by rodcannon, May 21, 2008.

  1. rodcannon

    rodcannon Light Load Member

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    May 17, 2008
    Alma, Michigan
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    The Roehl web site says "We Pay Practical Miles!"

    Evidently, this is one of those truck driving terms that is considered common knowledge but neophytes like me don't have a clue what they mean.

    Perhaps someone could enlighten me.
     
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  3. rodcannon

    rodcannon Light Load Member

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    May 17, 2008
    Alma, Michigan
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    I should have cited the Crete web site.
     
  4. AfterShock

    AfterShock Road Train Member

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    Practical miles are the routes that are best for a Big truck to take.
    There are also Shortest Distance Miles, but they often take Big trucks thorough smaller towns on less than practical roads.

    Practical miles could be mostly modern interstate highways, but longer mile-wise -- while shortest routes could be over those small gray lines in a road atlas, which usually takes longer time-wise.
    Or UN-wise.
    All depends. :biggrin_25525:
     
  5. im6under

    im6under Heavy Load Member

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    an alternate description:

    hhg miles... you get stuck driving 10-15% more than you're paid for.

    practical miles... you get stuck driving 5-8% more than you're paid for.

    hub miles... well... you ain't getting those... period. lol
     
  6. dancnoone

    dancnoone "Village Idiot"

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    While I agree with your statement. It is not true of all companies. I use 3 types of software to check my routing when I have time, and questions about a route.

    Case in point, CFI.

    While they have sold out to Conway. Let me explain HOW they actaully calculated "Practical Miles".

    To avoid confusion, when drivers think practical miles. We think PCMiler.

    When companies (most) think practical miles. They think Rand McNally House Hold Movers. CFI used Rand Mcnally HHMG.

    Rand McNally offers 4 settings within their software. I will refer to only 2.
    #1 Practical Routing
    #2 Practical Miles

    CFI "claimed" to pay practical miles. What they actually paid, was practical routing.

    For our example. We use Kansas City, MO to Chicago, IL

    CFI paid their drivers to run I-35 to Hwy 36 to I-72 to I-55. That's 121 miles on state highway. It's 4 lane. But you still have red lights.

    PCMiler, uses I-35 to I-80 to I-55. Interstate all the way.

    Rand McNally saves the company 25 miles. PCMiler saves the driver over an hour of driving time. And saved the company fuel.

    CFI did not force route drivers. CFI KNEW drivers would take the "real" practical route. And they would NOT have to pay the miles. Saving them money in payroll and fuel cost.

    CFI was very careful when they worded the ads stating they paid practical miles. Refering to it as an increase of "about" 3%.

    Had they been using PCMiler, they would have stated 7-10%. They covered their own ### very well.
     
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  7. dieselhound

    dieselhound Medium Load Member

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    I heard guys talking about being paid zip code to zip code. Some zip codes are pretty big. That would suck! I believe "practical miles" are the shortest route to get from A to B. It's all about miles. Time is a factor only to you, not your company. "It's only an inch on the map!"
     
  8. elharrison

    elharrison "Iam on my way"

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    speak for yourself:biggrin_2559:
     
    HotH2o and Dominick253 Thank this.
  9. Lurchgs

    Lurchgs Road Train Member

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    I've heard of that too - no idea how it works, though... are they paying to zip code boundary? or is it actually Post Office to Post Office?
     
  10. baseballswthrt

    baseballswthrt Light Load Member

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    Newport News, VA
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  11. dancnoone

    dancnoone "Village Idiot"

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    From the central Post Office in each "zip code" within that city. Yup post office to post office.

    Here's the kicker. You empty in Chicago, zip code xxxxxx. You re-load in Chicago 20 miles away at zip code xxxxx. But they pay you ZERO miles. Because the city name is the same. Even though it may only be a suburb of said city.

    Some companies put a meter on the axles....actual miles run by the truck. Most just use the odometer now days.
     
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