e-log trip planning

My response would be to use the RMCA to get a better gage of the distance to the receiver. However, I plan like this...

50 mph drive time on limited access.
45 mph drive time on other highways.
35 mph drive time in urban areas.

Figure your total drive time from this, then add 10%. Plug in your HOS breaks. If you're a slacker at the truckstop, you should add something for this, or just plan on being on the ball getting out of the gate in the morning/fuel stops.

OK we have (drive time x 110%) + HOS/breaks. Now plan on being at the 90 one hour early in all cases... subtract your time, and make sure of how much slack you have in the schedule. That's kept me out of trouble 99% of the time.

Finally, I plug it into mapquest for a final check, plus looking at the streets around the shippers/receivers just to make sure I understand what I'm getting into. That's a good way to see if macro19 has good information or not as well.

 

I want to let both Iron Pony and U2 know how much I appreciate the time you take to explain things. It is always clear and understandable! I have learned so much from both of you. You are both a credit to Prime and to the industry!

God Bless You Both and Thank You!:smt039

 

Let me know if he does pay you... The I can ask for about 10k miles of back pay.

Your not going to get paid the difference. There are a couple other companies you can go work for that pay "actual" miles...

Here is a great article about the issue... http://www.truckdriversunited.com/shortest_miles.htm

 

I cant believe everyone is so surprised with ths guy's qc miles as opposed to actual miles. It is at LEAST 10% in either direction. Not slamming Prime specifically!!! Melton was much closer to 20%. Then add in the 4 hours securement time and it really sucked!!!

 

Current load is 2640 miles... my GPS said 2613.. Sometime, albeit rarely, you do better than quoted miles.

 

For the most part, Prime was within 10%, however, sometimes u can do a lot worse! I know it is just the way it is with most companies,but it can make a difference sometimes between an easy delivery and a REAL tight one. best example, NYC, Long Island or God forbid.. ..California.....

 

I've "heard" we're using HHM miles, and I've also "heard" we're using a ProMiles database for the QC information. Either way, it doesn't matter.

Some companies pay hubmiles - I wouldn't want to be very far off from what they consider to be a "fuel route" or their rated mileage for a given load. We use whatever database to set the miles for the trip - that equates into a fee that they're going to pay you for doing the job. The point is in my view, we're getting PAID.

On occasion, I've had D-man (FM) adjust the trip miles - if its really off I'll mention something. The usual thing I get is some sort of rerouting on the deadhead side that doesn't show up when the trip is assigned. Mostly I don't worry about it.

 

We are paid off of HHG. I go to truckmiles.com to run a lot of my trips, and the miles that I'm paid are always closer to the "Truck Shortest" routing than the "Truck Practical" routing.

 

I have been researching GPS units for a while now and have settled on a Garmin car model. Everything I've read on the truck-specific models indicates they are either very weak functionally, or the tiny bit of POSSIBLE benefit is offset by them being twice as expensive or more.

IMHO a GPS is not a replacement for a road atlas or common sense either, as other drivers have stated.

I recommend you get the best one you can afford (read all the reviews on Amazon before you buy) and mount it so it's in your line of sight while driving. This allows you to quickly pop up the overhead map or zoom in and out, etc much more safely. Mine is on my dash at the bottom of the windshield. I also recommend getting an Aux cable and piping the sound into your stereo system if your cab is noisy. FM transmitters are a pain in the ### and should be avoided.

 

I use a little $100 TomTom GPS and it does a great job. No need to get a crazy GPS system. Even the truck specific GPS's should only be used as an additional tool, so why spend all that extra money?

Any current Prime drivers heard anything more about the QC GPS functionality? They were talking about it last summer / fall, and the latest I heard as of a couple months ago they were still working with QC on tweaking the system. They don't want to launch it (and pay for it) until the thing is perfect. I know they were working with QC on getting our fuel locations automatically integrated into the GPS routing, as well as having the GPS directions taking us to the exact truck entrance of the customer vs. the general address. They also want assurance that any road closures, detours, etc., are immediately updated into the GPS. That'll be real nice if they can ever get that going. Wonder if any other company is using the QC GPS functionality yet? I thought I heard Schneider was looking into it as well...

It's only a matter of time before GPS is in nearly every truck (pretty much already is with QC). I wonder if down the line, companies will begin to pay GPS routing miles. Hey, a guy can dream, right?