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wannabe's perspective

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by hylowa, Jul 18, 2010.

  1. Jul 18, 2010 #1
    hylowa

    hylowa Bobtail Member

    6
    0
    Jul 18, 2010
    rather not say
    0
    so im waiting on the call about being accepted into the cdl training program, and while i wait, i read these forums. i figure i'll ask a quest that is really my main concern. miles.
    ive worked in a few fairly ###### places in the past 10 years, from having secretarys try to get me fired so they're husbands could get my seat. ive had to show my trainer how to operate our machine, then tought myself other diffrent machines. ive been the only english speaking person in a kitchen while getting french fries thrown at me by fence jumpers. ive had my fare share of bs in the work place, so these stories of dispatchers and quallcomm and cb insidents... im almost looking forward to it, at this point in my 27 years of existence, i almost feed off of drama.

    but what would get to me while out on the road is waiting, waiting and waiting for miles to drive. i love to drive, i recommended my girlfriend move to tennessee, not explaining that i only recommended it cause i knew id be the one driving. best friend calls up asking if i can drive his car from philadelphia to karney nebraska, just let me get a shirt and find my shoes i tell him. no one wants to go to the shore? fine, i'll drive myself, walk in the water for 10 minutes, then drive back. driving isnt the issue.

    what will be the issue is something i cant control, and that would be getting miles to drive. do i just hound them? over and over again, what loads, need me to move empty trailers? do i just suck up, and accept anything? will the dispatcher notice me accepting any job? or will it be 4000, or some impossible number of miles a week, then sitting in some lot the next week? the person ive talked to on the phone says all the miles i want are there, i can have as many as i want... but is that realistic?

    anyway, sorry for the ramble, glad i found this forum, TONS of information from real people, love it.
     
    hylowa, Jul 18, 2010
    hylowa, Jul 18, 2010
    #1
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  3. Jul 18, 2010 #2
    TheHealthyDriver

    TheHealthyDriver Heavy Load Member

    837
    274
    Jul 11, 2010
    Stony Mountain, MB
    0
    Most places will tell you that you can have all the miles you want, but that's not always the case. However, depending on what you're pulling, you can probably expect to do a good 2500-3500 miles a week. I'm assuming you're in the US, so they can probably keep you going for quite some time, as long as you do your resets.
     
    TheHealthyDriver, Jul 18, 2010
    TheHealthyDriver, Jul 18, 2010
    #2
  4. Jul 18, 2010 #3
    hylowa

    hylowa Bobtail Member

    6
    0
    Jul 18, 2010
    rather not say
    0
    reset as in the mandatory down time, which im still not clear on, can drive 11 hours then stop for... 6? 10? i understand that i cant drive a straight 24 hours like i did last month(memphis tn to atlantic city, nj with 4 kids...).
     
    hylowa, Jul 18, 2010
    hylowa, Jul 18, 2010
    #3
  5. Jul 18, 2010 #4
    TheHealthyDriver

    TheHealthyDriver Heavy Load Member

    837
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    Jul 11, 2010
    Stony Mountain, MB
    0
    Once you start your day with your pretrip, you have 14 hours to complete your day. In the 14 hours you can drive no more than 11 hours. The remaining time can be On Duty, Not Driving time, or Off Duty time, depending on what you're doing. Once you hit 14 hours from the time you started, you have to then be done for the day, and take your mandatory 10 hours off. However, that's not the reset I speak of. I stopped running US just recently, but I'm pretty sure it's 70 hours allowed within 7 days. Once you hit the 70 hours, you need to take 34 hours off to reset your allowable 70. I might have the numbers off a bit, so someone can correct me if need be, but I know I'm pretty close on those numbers.
     
    TheHealthyDriver, Jul 18, 2010
    TheHealthyDriver, Jul 18, 2010
    #4
  7. Jul 18, 2010 #5
    sharpshooter

    sharpshooter Medium Load Member

    384
    113
    Jun 20, 2010
    NC
    0
    There is plenty of log book threads on here that discuss hours of service. Assuming those 4 kids are yours, and your a go go go type of person, I'd suggest you aim for an LTL job. P & D is fast paced, which is where you'd start, then move into a linehaul position. A "turn and burn" linehaul run will put money in the bank, and still be around for the kids. Good luck
     
    sharpshooter, Jul 18, 2010
    sharpshooter, Jul 18, 2010
    #5
  8. Jul 18, 2010 #6
    Allow Me.

    Allow Me. Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

    10,745
    12,479
    May 28, 2009
    Rancho Mirage, Ca.
    0
    There is much MISINFORMATION on the re-set on this forum. Having to take a 34 hour re-set when you have used 70 hours is wrong. Each day, you have the possibility of picking up more hours, if you have hours from day 1 of the previous 8 days. In this business, you need to know how to manage your time. You can have 70 hours at the end of every day, and still drive the next day, IF, you had hours available from the first of the previous 8 days, which you would pick up. I won't confuse you any further right now, but learn logging and learn it well.
     
    Allow Me., Jul 18, 2010
    Allow Me., Jul 18, 2010
    #6
  9. Jul 19, 2010 #7
    TheHealthyDriver

    TheHealthyDriver Heavy Load Member

    837
    274
    Jul 11, 2010
    Stony Mountain, MB
    0

    I thought the 34 hour reset was mandatory. Thanks for educating me on that. I always used the reset myself by going home for 2 days after each 5-6 days out.
     
    TheHealthyDriver, Jul 19, 2010
    TheHealthyDriver, Jul 19, 2010
    #7
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