I'm hoping to get in at Roehl in Wisconsin working Van National.

Do you normally stay in one region (SE, NE, etc.)? Do you run West at all?

For those running national, is Roehl consistent with the 11/3 schedule? If not, how often do you get home (after how long and for how long)?

What is Roehl's pet policy?

You will run 48 states plus canada. West coast will be placed on hold til you have 6 mos exp. Same as NYC 6 mos hold.

Running national you will have the option as to how many days you want to stay out 7 days out = 2 days home. 11 days out = 3 days home. 18 days out =4 days home. up to 36 days out with 7 days home.

Pets sorry not here.

Thanks for the info.

I can live without my dog everyday. I wouldn't want to take her right away anyway...I don't need anything extra to think about/take care of when I first get out there on my own!

Are they usually good about home time or do they tend to jerk you around?

I would say they are very good about hometime. Give the doggy away aint no room for pets in a Roehl truck.

Hmmm... I agree... Sorta.... When you're on the National Fleet side, you'll run everywhere (Lower 48 and Eastern Canada) but getting you home is flexible when freight is challenging.

You need to let your DSR have a window of when you want to be home. When I first started, I would tell them I wanted to be home on a certain day and I would get ticked when I wasn't. I broke the code finally and now, I tell them I want to be home two to three days before I actually need to be there and that normally works out okay. Understand, I don't have any tearing NEED to go through the house on a certain schedule so it's easier for me to just take home time as it comes. Normally, I'll stay out 21 days but this last time I was out for 49 and am enjoying just chilling.

Also, you need to take charge of your home time and not let Roehl schedule for a load exactly 34 hours after you pull into the yard.

No need to do that. My girlfriend will gladly take care fo the pets.

I think I would be pretty flexible about home time. I guess my concern was, if they say you'll be out for 14 days, does that really mean 28?

No.. Now let me qualify that.... If you want to stay out ONLY 14 days, they will try to get you home as close to that as possible. But if they offer you a load that will keep you out and running beyond that time, then it's up to you to make the decision to either accept or decline the load.

What can happen is sort of tricky, and it boils down to how much into pain you are..

For example, you're due to be head to the house but they are offering you a 1900 mile run that will really get you a good start for the next week. Decisions!! Decisions!! You accept and your DSR then pushes out your home due date to cover the load and the next to (hopefully) get you home.

When you empty out that nice 1900 mile run, you could end up sitting for a day if there is no freight in the area for you to take. Not a pleasant picture but it happens. Then your next load takes you through your house but only allows you time for a 34 before you have to roll to deliver.. Not home time but some DSR's will say that you have already been through the house and the 14 day clock is restarted.... Not true, but that is a common ploy that is used on the unwary.

Also, once you set a pattern of being very flexible with your hoome-time, the planners will constantly offer the premium outloads with little chance of a back haul to keep you rolling for the benefit of the company.

New drivers are especially vunerable to this sort of manipulation and is one of the biggest reasons why ROEHL has a high turn-over.

Fact, if the truck isn't moving, it's not making money.

Also, if you know the type of manipulation they are using on you, then you can turn the tables on them. The down-side to this is that you could develop a reputation that can hurt you when you aren't willing to take the ocassional load that will keep you out....

Good luck to you.....

Playing games... D***, I freaking hate that!!!

I do have one question on this though, as being the Rookie to the company, what right would you have in saying to them, "No, that was not my hometime. It was just 34-reset"?

Every right in the world. I'm constantly amazed at how some DSR's can get a bluff in and new drivers start running around as if the DSR is a little tin god.

But once you roll over and let them get away with it, they are going to act like they "own" you. These DSR's know that what they are doing isn't right, but if you don't call them on it, they are going to keep trying to get away with it.

Be firm on your hometime and accept nothing less than what you are due. But also, make sure that when your alloted hometime is over, that you're ready to roll.

Cheers.....

I am gonna build me a little gold statue of this Unka fellar. I'm thinking the Buddha position, maybe have a pull string talk feature. It will make these wise statements over and over. Back when I started my dispatcher instructed me in the art of not doing favors with my home time. Do it once they will expect you to do it again. OK green horns go read me Unka again, and take notes.