I live in Lawrence KS just inside the "home 46 out of 52 weekends" zone on the hiring map. Any thoughts on how reliable this might be? How often do you all get into eastern kansas and/or KC?

Well if you are inside the 46/52 hiring area then you will be home most weekends. From Maine I got to KC probably 5 times per year, but really if I did get out that far it meant I was away from home for three weeks minimum and probably more. Now there were many many times that I traveled I 44 through MO and OK, and I will bet that the scant extra miles to go through your house on the way from IL, IN, OH to TX would accomodate you getting home regularly. Also there is quite a bit of freight going between TX and IA that should get you home as well.

TMC usually plans to get you home in the middle of a load. So lets say for you they would have you end up in TX on Friday morning and get you a load to IA for Monday morning. By Friday evening you will be home, and you will probably leave home Sunday afternoon so you can park at or near the customer for Monday morning delivery. This is how they can hire people who live in rural area's and still get them home.

__________________
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

-- J R R Tolkien