Taking the truck home for extended days off?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Lennythedriver, Jul 10, 2022.

  1. rockeee

    rockeee Medium Load Member

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    Kalama, Wa
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    I hear where your coming from but a lot of companies can't (or don't want to) let a truck sit for 15 days. That could be a lot of revenue being missed out on that is needed.
     
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  3. kylefitzy

    kylefitzy Road Train Member

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    I’m on the road roughly 320 days a year. My truck earls plenty. If they need 365 days of revenue they are just barely scraping by.
     
  4. Lennythedriver

    Lennythedriver Road Train Member

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    There’s no car rental places in the town where the company is. And if there were it would still be a one-way rental. Have you ever checked the prices of a one-way car rental? It’s usually $800 on up. And car rentals are not running $40 a day anymore, most are running at least somewhere close to 100+ per day. But that doesn’t even matter in my situation because it would be a one-way rental which adds at least $250 fee onto it AND There’s no car rentals in their area to even return the car too. $450 is the going rate for 260 mile one-way trip via a driver.
     
  5. Numb

    Numb Crusty Curmudgeon

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    in my over 35 yrs driving the road, I've never worked for a company that had someone use and sleep in "my" truck.

    maybe a local run if needed, but that was rare.

    and I looked for companies or drop lot no more than an hour drive away
     
  6. rockeee

    rockeee Medium Load Member

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    Kalama, Wa
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    Could be they are just barely scraping by. Don't really know. I know if you take any size fleet and 20 drivers took their trucks home for 5 days, which I know happens quite often, that is 100 days that a truck is not generating income. Even make that 50 days, taking into account maintenance and what not, that's a lot of money not coming in. I don't have a dog in the fight but I can see why companies would want to keep the wheels rolling.
     
  7. kylefitzy

    kylefitzy Road Train Member

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    That’s making the pretty big assumption that if the truck is at the yard it’s absolutely going to be used. If that’s the case they need more trucks or fewer drivers.
     
  8. Lennythedriver

    Lennythedriver Road Train Member

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    Drivers are humans, And I’ll tip my hat to any driver who can live on his truck 365 days a year and never take days off are these guys you stay out three months at a time. The average driver TODAY spends 10 days a month on home time, and takes two one week vacations. Most take 120 days off or so a year.
    I’m on pace to have 64 days of home time this year. And that includes my vacation time. That’s some drivers on here will hoot and holler about that on here….and I know there would be a heck of a lot of trucking companies that would be happy with the driver only taking 64 days off in a year.
     
  9. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    The company paying for the truck gets to decide how their truck is used. I've noticed in trucking many drivers are experts in every other person's job, including the boss, mechanic, customers, road construction etc. Lots of these experts see nothing wrong with parking at the fuel pumps to shower or 30 minute break and blocking the truck stop entrance so they don't have to back into a parking spot.

    I lived in my truck for 14 months, doing 10 months without a day off. But, I chose to work 2,000 miles from home, not bring a car, or have another place to live while I was out West. We all make choices, I've made some really bad ones. But, for better or worse, I analyze each choice like the fate of the free world is being determined. My approach has certain penalties, the opposite approach has different penalties. The best you can do is learn from any hardship you face so you don't have to repeat the same hardship. I no I won't live long enough to make all the mistakes so I try and learn from other people's mistakes.
     
  10. Lennythedriver

    Lennythedriver Road Train Member

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    Well I’ve come up with a solution for my dilemma, I think it’s a win-win for me and the company. Going to get a second commuter car. Yeah it’s gonna cost me. And I don’t really need it but that way I can keep one vehicle at the yard and one vehicle at the truckstop where I’ll be parking the truck on my hometown. If the situation comes up or they need the truck at the yard or I’m taking extra days off I’ll just hop in my vehicle it’s at the yard and drive it home.

    You are correct though, I’m into just the start of year four being out here driving. And I’m still learning ways to make my job more pleasant. And I’ll probably be learning ways to make it more pleasant until I’m too old to drive. Lol
     
  11. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    That seems like a good plan. Nobody cares more about your comfort and your future than you should. If you don't look after your needs, nobody else will.
     
    rockeee Thanks this.
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