My time with Swift

Since it was so close to 35,000, why didn't you scale it before you left, just so you would know it was legal on the tandems? Or didn't that terminal have a scale?

 

Winger, could you have adjusted that weight to be legal by sliding your fifth wheel?

Listen friend, there is an awful lot to know and to remember in this business. You mention that things went well while you were with your mentor. That is great. But I am wondering from your post, if perhaps your mentor did not teach you very well.

I say that, because scaling out and adjusting for weight is such a basic thing. Also because you mention being late for appointments. Now sometimes stuff happens and you find you can't make the appointment on time. That is when you get hold of your dispatcher and possibly whoever you have the appointment with, and give them some advance warning. When you show up late, without anyone knowing about it, nobody is going to be happy.

Not everybody here had the (?) benefit (?) of having a mentor or driver trainer. I got one short run with another driver, basically to see that I could handle the truck and then was kicked loose on my own. Talk about learning the hard way. . .

Just hang in there. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Not only here on the forum, but of other drivers. Of your dispatcher. Of any one you figure can help you out.

It is tough just starting out. But it DOES get easier. Really.

 

it will get easier takes time , advice is to scale every load over 30,000

 

scale any load over 25k just to cover yer butt and any tcalled load too just more CYA..

 

Winger,
I'm just another rookie talking here but.....2000 to 0300 (7 hrs), 1/2 hr each for pre-trip, fuel, hook. Down to 5.5 hrs for 375 miles which we all know means, in reality, about 420+ with the "charity" miles included. So, the real question is can you do 420 miles in 5.5 hrs in a 62 mph truck (or a 72 mph truck, or an 82 mph truck)? At 82 mph you're getting warmer if all goes perfectly.

Between you and me and the fencepost (and of course the 40,000 members of the forum).....planners ain't got a clue. And you know what, they're apparently not paid to have a clue. They have zero consequences. Shhhhh!

The 0530 load time would put you back at 7 hours, i.e., zeroes out the fuel, hook and pretrip time, but then the question is, can you do 420 miles in a 62mph truck in 7 hours?

 

1. Leave Buffalo at 2000, (8 pm)...pre trip already done for the day, so just get moving...
2. Syracuse, 2.5 hrs driving, find the trailer, hook/fuel (all in one 15 minute block Line 4)...we all know this will constitute 30 minutes at the terminal, get your fuel at the terminal instead of making an additional stop along the route. It is now 2300 (11 pm)
3. While fueling, call after hours dispatch to find out if the appointment time is absolute or if that is the earliest you can start loading...in other words, is there a window for P/U...call shipper and let them know you can be there about 0400 not 0300,
4. Leave Syracuse at 2300, you should average 55 mph down to PA, so 4.25/4.5 hours driving.
5. This scenario is assuming (planners do a lot of assuming you know...and we all know what A S S U M E means!) and the question is WILL THERE ACTUALLY BE AN MT TRAILER AT SYRACUSE TERMINAL...maybe not!
6. While by the book this COULD be done as long as everything falls exactly into place as scheduled...but we know something could/will go wrong...looking back, before accepting or not accepting the load a phone call before leaving Buffalo would have been the right thing to do to find out if you had a window for time on P/U...but they would have lied to you anyway about "yes you can be a little late, just get moving and cover the assignment".
7. You didn't mention whether or not the loaded miles for the trip would have been worth the rushing around and making a close to, but late P/U. and having a later than scheduled P/U would there be sufficient time to deliver the load on time.

 

Yep, it makes sense to always scale the load. The company pays for it and you will stay legal.