Trip Planning Fundementals for Newbies

I work for PAM, it's no secret hehe. There have been times I have missed a fuel exit for various reasons. I called dispatch the first time and just asked if I could fuel at the next one (we use flyingj/pilot, loves, and petro/ta) and he said no he had to do a new fuel solution and QC it to me. One thing I will never do is get less than 50 gal of fuel, I don't like to pay for showers and I won't go 3-4 days without one. I like to keep myself clean and shaved. So if I got a stop for 57 gal then later a stop for a fill I don't mind.

I know they are a lot looser with the experienced drivers. My trainer got away with a lot of stuff he told me not to try until my DM was comfortable with me. Which I don't mind. And I don't really know the roads and routes quite well enough yet to suggest alternate routes to dispatch. What I find may be a shorter route may be longer drive time, route me through construction they know about but I don't, or just be a bad idea for some reason an inexperienced driver wouldn't know about yet.

But thanks for the advice. I never turn it down and it's always appreciated.

 

Thank you very much I am going to school in Sept to get my class A I have a class B currently. I am looking to go OTR soon as I got my A. Your post is most helpful to me I am a stickler for pre-planning

 

This is a good thread ! I totally agree with the posts about a company giving more leeway on routes as a driver gains experience. I have been with the same company for 1 year now and have found that when i first started i was told to follow the given route and not to deviate. as time has gone on and I have come accross problems requiring re-routing the dispatcher has become more easy going about the routes. last month i had to get around the flooding up in the northern usa and called the dispatcher. his words were" you have been running that area for a while, work out were you need to go and ring me if you have a problem". At first i was a bit shocked then i thought cool these guys are starting to believe in my abilities and show some trust in me, was a good feeling. but if i can stay on an assigned route i will, as i see it as a cya move mostly. they say run these routes, i check them myself then run them, if i gotta make a change i call with a pre planned solution and usually just get a " sounds good , do ya thing but dont fkuc up" response.

 

Interestingly enough just today I had a situation. I had a planned load but the load assignment would not come through the qualcomm. My Dm told me to just head to Flanders NJ and eventually the load assignment would come through. Well it did and when I checked the route I went a totally different way...driving 15 miles less than the planned route and arriving an estimated 1/2 hour sooner. Go me!

 

Great post! Very true and informative... need to get one of those truck stop guides... I learned the rest from school, trainers (I had 4...ugh), and from practical experience both before & after I started OTR... I am going to print & keep your post though, will be good to have it as a reminder when I need it... Now, how to find alternative routes to the Interstates and Toll roads... That would be VERY helpful... I have the Rand McNally laminated truck atlas, but knowing the elevations and the road difficulties, weigh stations, rest areas, construction zones, and road closings is a bit daunting at times... All about time management, like you said... Again, thanks for a great post!

 

Excellent info in this thread!
Going OTR for the first time, always had dedicated runs before with the same destination each run (not much route planning needed there).
Company I'll be running for has drivers pick their own routes each time (unless dispatch knows of major construction, really bad weather etc... On one route versus another. Got my shiny new motor carriers atlas and a fuel finder booklet! That and what I like to think is a healthy dose of (not so)common sense, so hopefully all will go well!