Has anybody gone from 4 weeks out/1 week home to 4 weeks out/4 days home and gotten used to it?

The first company that I work for, I was staying out anywhere from 30 to 45 days at a pop and then going home for 3 to 4 days. It wasn’t enough. Not at all. The company I work for now I stay out about 7 to 10 days and go home for 3 to 4 days. It makes all the difference you can imagine. I stay motivated.

In my humble opinion, psychologically having ran both types of schedules, something around seven days on and three days off or eight days on three days off in that neighborhood, is the best psychologically. Trucking companies probably would come out much better in the long run running drivers on a schedule like that. You’re constantly refreshed and willing to drive much harder. After about 10-12 days most of us start burning out and 1-2 days off isn’t enough.

 

I actually stay out long stretches with even less hometime than that. It's by design though. I can't afford to take an entire week off due to obligations, and I've been running like this pretty much the entire time I've been driving, except for the year I ran local. I do get burned out, but not that easily. It takes about 2 months before I tap out. This is going to sound weird, but I actually get burned out on being at home faster than I do being on the road. To keep from burning out, I pace myself on my runs. I only drive 600 plus miles in a day if necessary. Most of the time around 400 - 500 is good enough to call it a days work. On days off, I like to drink. A soul cleansing alcohol induced sleep is therapeutic and reinvigorating. I like to eat as well, but I have cut back some, as I don't feel as tired, which can make runs difficult. Eating large amounts of truck stop slop can burn you out even faster.

 

I didn't like going home for a full week. It messed up my rythms. I even got paid for that week I was off, and still I'd rather just have off about 3 days unpaid.

 

Oh @otterinthewater You need to chime in here and let this driver know how infrequently you go home

 

My company gives 1 1/2 days off for every 7 out. I usually stay out for 10-12 weeks and take 10-12 days off. None of that clean out your truck if you want more than 4 crap. Leave my truck at the terminal, leave all of the stuff in it. Come back, go to work. Last time I dropped it off at the terminal.....came back....oil changed, APU serviced, new steer tires, 4 new drive tires. Never requested any of that. They maintain their equipment well. Back to the original subject......No, 4 days at home is not enough for me.

 

1 day off per week..
Suddenly Schneider’s 6 days off per month sounds good, and you keep same truck.

 

I just feel like the old one day off per week isn’t enough. It’s just a recipe for zero life and total burnout. I can do it, I’ve even done longer than that but I stayed out a month or more at a time and then will just take a few days off, but I really truly feel like you’re just doing time at that point. Life passes you by running like that in my opinion and no job is going to own my “soul” lol

I can do it, I just didn’t care for it. The other aspect is if a trucking company runs you hard, 500 to 700 miles a day. Consistently. You can still get in a good 120 thousand miles or more a year and run like an 8/4 rotation.

 

\\


3 days off per week. Work to live, dont live to work.

 

Yeah I could never go back to the 1 day a week formula. My wife and I did a 4 day a week dedicated and that was nice...now we do 30 days on and 15 off. That's about the same as 4 day weeks but we like having the 2 week block of time off for taking trips.