Swift - Time off questions. How long do you take and when does it officially start?

I would be curious if just unhooking the batteries on the truck when you first go on HT would cause it to 'disappear' from Swift's radar? Not talking about just flipping the battery off switch. Completely unhook the batteries so no power cycles through the Qualcomm. Yes the QC itself has a battery for a few hours and will continue to ping but eventually the truck would go 'silent' and maybe fall off the radar as far as an empty truck available in some planner's radar scope who might click on it and otherwise see this driver has been home for 5 days now. With no power after a couple days a planner would not even see that so a savvy driver might be able to game the system for more hometime.

 

fliping off the power switch like the freight shakers hs does disable ALL power to the truck it mans they cannot track the truck. A friend of mine found that out when he was ble to spend the night at home one night and he flipped that switch and at 3 AM he got a call asking where the truck was because they cannot track it.

 

When I was OTR my I was a little worried about losing a day because I delivered near the terminal around 4am. Asked my DM and he said nope you worked today and gave me the next 4 days off I asked for and kept the truck. That guy really takes care of his drivers. You work hard and do him right, he'll take care of you. You don't, well I don't think he will. He was a great DM and if I ever went OTR again I would get him, he told me all I have to do is call. So I guess what I'm saying is a lot depends on your DM. Their bonus is tied to your driving miles.

 

I'm in Ottawa, KS.
My delivery was pushed out out from Monday to Thursday, so I requested a t-call in Columbus.
I'll deliver it there Sunday morning sometime, which gives me an extra day to drive this week while only losing 200 miles from this 1700 miler.

I dropped from Platinum to Gold last week because of a full week down due to home time and then 3 more days in the shop, all during the same pay period.
The previous couple weeks were weak as well.
I had a $17 paycheck this week. Sigh.
The miles are starting to get better now, and hopefully it will continue to get better.
Those 3 extra days in the shop were worth it though. They fixed EVERYTHING that had been nagging at me. Inver Grove is a very good terminal, in more ways than one.

I'll be out for about 7 weeks before my next home time when I pick up Leann to ride with me for the summer, so it shouldn't be long before I can get that Platinum rating back.
She is 13 now, and she rode with me last summer for about 6 weeks. We both can't wait! She really loves the trucker life.

 

And that is how it SHOULD be for everyone!

You deliver at 0400, and then the entire day is shot because you need sleep.
Or you deliver at 1800 and the day is over.
But, you worked that day and it should not be counted in your home time days.

I've never discussed it with my current DM, I've just taken it for granted.
He has never questioned it.
But, usually, I'm out for at least 4 weeks before the next home time. Even calculating from exact time in to exact time back I should get a full 3 days free and clear.
But even when the planners set my PTA several hours short of that mark, I just call my DM and he is fine with when I want to come back. He will set my PTA for whatever I ask.
I once asked for an extra day, and even that wasn't a problem.

But it really depends on your terminal and DM.
Either can be so picky and finicky.
I've been really lucky with all my DM's and terminals, and have never had a problem. That is why I stay with my current DM, even though that is in Otay Mesa while I live 20 miles from Inver Grove.
But if I were to change to a different terminal, it would be Inver Grove. I really like those people, and how they treat me.

 

moose If you go to MN ask for Joey he ROCKS he has planned me for weeks at a time and dispatched me he is one of the best leaders out there and HE is the reason I have stayed here as long as I have. But he will have one less driver next week as I am leaving for better PAY.