The daycab difference

Day cab here as well. I run a little less than a 400 mile round trip daily, and use a regular log, 70hr/8 day.
I have no appointment times, where I deliver, I can go in 24 hours a day, Monday thru Friday, and until 1800 on Sat.
I either get to the yard and my trailer is loaded, or I go to one of the sawmills and load there.
Ya, that rear window is quite the novelty!! It comes in handy every so often, but I still forget it's there.

One other difference I've noticed besides the home thing, and a shower and clean clothes daily, I actually do more physical work than the old dryvans required. Not as much as a skateboard, but we still have to tarp our loads. I run chipboxes.
One thing that is much better, most 4wheelers show a bit more caution around me with 10-11 axles.

 

I am in a daycab as well....2009 Freightliner FLD with a long wheelbase....

I loved the sleepers when I was OTR.... Lots more room and usually they absorb the bumps more I think... It's just has the "big" feeling to it... Just like a lot more headroom and it's just is a bigger feel to it in general driving.... I also liked hooking up trailers more with a sleeper because the fairings would line up with the trailers so it was a little easier to hook up to a trailer looking at the fairings... With the daycab not saying I can't hook up or anything but instead of looking at the fairings that are level with the mirror I am looking either in the rear window or looking at the drive tires to see if they are inline with the trailer... Sometimes I won't hit the pin dead on but no worries it gets in still.... Looking in the rear window is a pretty good and easy way tho... Like driving my pickup truck.. I used to use a daycab for OTR and my company paid for my meals and hotels (even when I they gave me a brand new volco sleeper they still paid those things).. Now the only downside to this is room in the cab for gear and stuff......

So now that I am in a daycab I don't really like the truck itself as for room... They are small and crammed inside... The seat can only adjust so far and in our older trucks we have no tilt/telescoping steering wheels (the 2011/2012 do).. I like having the window because I haul waste material with Titan walking floor trailer with a man-door in the front of the trailer I have open while off-loading to know when I am empty so I look at that door through the rear window... Right now I work for the City... We don't go past our allowable 160km radius so no log books and we also are limited personally to 13hrs/day up to 60hr per week so we are below the legal hours of 14/day and 70 week.... I get paid overtime after 8 hours and it's great sitting in traffic cause when the wheels ain't turning it means I making money to just sit there (unlike getting paid by the mile)


That's my story..

 

Day cab for 38 years, Mostly single axle. Try driving a single axle, 2500# on it Solid ice, with lots of wind blowing. Freakin death trap. Truck will snap on you, with out warning. Hang of tight.

 

Daycabs for the last 20 years,15 1/2 years with present carrier. I drive a singe axle CH. Not a big fan of Macks however the heater in Below zero Wisconsin temps will Keep you toasty warm! I have a real tight peddle run. in 8 hours time i'm lucky if i put on 80 miles a day. I dont think i could get back into a Sleeper operation.

 

Daycab here too, do pre loads for the road guys, pull cans etc. Bought my own as no one wanted to pay for "good" anymore.

Small inside like they said but good visibilty and my dog is short but on air ride so she snaps back quick and that lets me stuff tankers most anywhere. Uncle Sam will buy me a new one soon because of what I do so I'm thinking big Yamaha, ultra shift in a loaded Columbia or Coranado. Dunno yet, still looking and it will be next year if I do. ( TERP funding of 70% MSRP )

Did the road thing, had the big engine, 2 sticks and saw both coasts weekly. Had a good time but with the CSA the party is over so I doubt I'd ever go back. I like being home every night cept the kids still ask mama " who's that man?"

 

Intermodal. Cascadia tandem axle daycab.

Usually 11-12 hour days. If crap hits the fan can turn into 14hrs once in a while. I work M-F weekend s off unless I volunteer. Working a 6th day usually has incentive pay. Last 3 times I worked a Saturday I made over $300 so that's some consolation for going in an extra day.

Mileage varies a lot. Some days as little as 150 if I'm really local and have multiple live loads/unloads. As much as 550 if I have long runs. I suppose "average" day would be three trips, 350 miles. I get stop pay, accessorial pay as well as detention pay when delayed so there are some days I might only drive 180-200 miles but still gross over $200 for the day.

Shorter wheelbase is nice at the tight, busy rail yard I work out of as I can do u-turn set ups and back into tight spots that sleepers can't.

Unfortunately the lighter shorter wheel-based daycab shakes, rattles and beats me up badly all day. A 12 hour day in a daycab is far more exhausting than a 14 hr day in a sleeper. I have to admit I really, really miss the condo I used to call home.

 

My company runs almost all day cabs. We have a couple of guys who run OTR three weeks out in day cabs. We pull tanks and can haul more volume by keeping the tare weight of the unit down. The company still has 3 sleepers but only because those drivers will quit if assigned day cabs. Personally I would rather have a small sleeper than stay in motels every night but it is nice to wake up and take a shower without waiting for it. One of the big drawbacks to the day cab is that you have to pack light as there isn't much room for stuff in the cab. By the time you put in your hard hat, respirator, flame retardant suit, rain suit and a small tool box there isn't much space left for your personal stuff (clothes etc). In this economy I can't complain too much the company treats us well and I am generally happy to have the work.

 

100 air mile needs 10 hours off between shifts same as a driver using a log book. The 100 air mile exemption was changed the same time the changed the HOS from 8 off to 10 off.

 

I went to daycabs when I started pulling triples and then hauling gasoline. I will never go back OTR after hauling gasoline and making the money I did. I loved the in town stuff because there's never a dull moment and you feel you really know what's going on in the city. That makes a 12 hour shift go by in no time at all.