Less than 1500 miles a week

is this normal? My husband is a new OTR driver and is pretty upset that he's been out of training for about a month and hasn't gotten anywhere near his goal of driving at least 2800 miles a week. He says he's been early to drop off most of his loads and hasn't had any trouble driving, but doesn't know why he hasn't been given more/longer loads and has been left waiting for a day at most waiting. I know right out of training he did try to get a couple days of home time and they gave him a lot of grief about that saying they don't have loads going to Texas for the whole weekend which I find hard to believe. In the midst of all this complaining, I'm really trying to ask is there anything different on his side he could be doing? Is he maybe not being an efficient driver? Is the planner really just not giving him any good loads? Any advice for him would be greatly appreciated,

 

Who does he work for? Is it a regional outfit that only does short haul?

 

Swift. And no, he was told he can be dispatched to drive anywhere in the country, as he did in his training, where drove literally from west to east coast quite frequently.

 

Is this company paying a high pay rate? .45cpm+

Some companies offer a high rate of pay per mile and then give #### for miles to offset it.

 

Being OTR can make you a little nuts and a little angry. I think you should allow him to vent but try not to indulge him on that lol. If he just got off training then I'm sure he's about to start to learn the system of whatever company he works for. Give him 6 months. After 6 months I guarantee you that you won't be back here asking if something is normal.

 

No I believe he's starting at $0.37 a mile, which is higher than others I've heard, but he says its dispatch or the planner who just isn't giving him longer hauls. He's been talking with his DM about this and he says he'll get him some better hauls, but so far two of his longer hauls were t called and cut in half? I hope that sounds about right

 

He works for Swift.... You got your answer....

 

Hahaha it's good to see someone say this! I'm hoping this isn't an indicator of what's to come but from the sound of it and everything else I'm reading it shouldn't be.... From a wife standpoint though I'll just try to think of more reassuring things to say thanks!

 

Some companies regional operations get more miles then otr. So try to go regional or get a new dispatcher.

 

Uh oh. Is swift not very good :/? We were hoping whatever company he gets with he could stick with till his school is paid in full and look for something else if need be..