Question for the Linehaul guys

OK, I've never driven night linehaul, but I worked a straight grave yard , (or dog watch, as we called it,) for over three years. It's tough to do if you have kids. But if that is not an issue, you'll be better off to try to stay with your routine hours even on days off.
Of course you won't always be able to, but you can get your body's circadian rhythm to readjust to your schedule, if you can pretty much keep your hours the same.

 

I know the senior guys are the ones with the day time linehaul gigs and it depends on what barn you're out of, but is there a general round about time frame (if ever) that most guys land this shift? Also how does the size and location of the barn affect this? I assume the bigger the barn the more shifts, the better chances of eventually getting a day time run?

 

In my barn (28 drivers) there are 7 line haul runs which are covered by 11 bid drivers (overages are covered by via drivers). All night time spots, no day lanes.

The night time gig for me is summed up like this......city p/d is twice the work for 65% OF THE PAY!
(Money isn't everything I've heard some say, but if I'm working I want to maximize my dollars!)

The senior guys get the longer runs.....and the if your barn is big (or a re-ship) the better chance of having day spots.......which for Con-Way drivers, if you don't have 22+ years good luck with the daytime l/h.

 

Same, I worked graveyard for eight years, but not trucking. It is best to keep your day-sleep schedule during your days off. Graveyard is not that hard, unless you have a daywalker family (wife; kids). You end up staying awake for the family and you will never get any good sleep. I have seen it destroy people.

night-work has negative health effects over long periods (years).

 

I've a friend that retired from a plant job at a mine. He spent the last ten or so years working twelve hour shifts. And ROTATING them every two days. I don't know how he did it, without just killing himself physically.

 

<----System linehauler here. I drive nights.. I try to keep the same sleep schedule all week and on the weekend too. Most of my friends and family know not to expect much out of me during the afternoon, which is easy for me to say because I dont have kids. If I do end up having to do something during the afternoon for any reason I still try to get a 3-4 hour nap during the late morning or early evening so that my sleep schedule wont completely change back to the "normal people" schedule.

 

Night linehaul sucks hard in my opinion. Im actually trying to get out into a daytime p&d.

I run a 550mi round trip swap and then work on the dock until my 14h shift is up. We get paid a little better and have a lot less physically demanding job than daytime drivers, but at the end of the day your still exhausted from fighting off sleep.

It definately not for everyone. Ive worked night shifts almost my whole life (not driving) and it is completely different when your sitting in one spot for 10h just watching lights and a dotted line. Talking to people on the phone will be your best friend.

 

Talking on the phone is good, if you can find someone to talk to at oh dark thirty, without having them put out a hit on you!
When I was OTR and also regional, did a lot of night driving. My best bet for staying alert was audio books. Get an interesting story going and you will likely not get sleepy. Worked for me, anyhow.