Trip Planning "Coefficients?"

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by madmoneymike5, Feb 28, 2012.

  1. madmoneymike5

    madmoneymike5 Medium Load Member

    633
    283
    Jan 30, 2010
    Arlington, TX
    0
    So, my Garmin GPS tells me that my overall speed is 21mph. Since it never loses power unless I'm in home time, it tracks all the time I'm moving and all the time that I am stopped. This included everything--breaks, resets, fueling, peeing, traffic jams, loading, unloading, etc.

    I've recently started to try to make use of this tidbit of information by using this number in my planning. I want to reasonably predict my arrival time/ability to complete a load in the given time for multi-day loads.

    So, I've given the following a try:
    My potential next load is to be 769 miles down the road in the next 39 hours. I try determine if I can be there in time by dividing 769 by 21. If the number is less than 39, I'm likely good to go assuming I have hours on my 70. In this case, it's 36.61, so I could do this load.

    What I want to know is this: has anyone else tried something like this? I'd like to be able to say this works as a general, universal "rule of thumb". Something I could teach my students in their trip planning.

    Comments?
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. madmoneymike5

    madmoneymike5 Medium Load Member

    633
    283
    Jan 30, 2010
    Arlington, TX
    0
    By the way, for single day loads, I've tried using 40, but with mixed results. I assume this is due to the lesser time frame to build a more reliable average.
     
  4. childerscarl1

    childerscarl1 Medium Load Member

    458
    185
    Nov 11, 2009
    skunkflats,ark
    0
    heres the formula I use avg mph divided by miles of dispatch times 1,1 for fuel scale and safety checks. Its not perfect but you can get a good idea.

    hope this helps.
     
    DrtyDiesel Thanks this.
  5. DrtyDiesel

    DrtyDiesel Road Train Member

    5,348
    2,598
    Feb 14, 2010
    Jacksonville, FL
    0
    In orientation we did trip planning by an average of 45mph.

    Our trucks are able to do 60 on cruise and 63 with the pedal to the floor. In training, our loads were calculated this way. Once we get out of training, our loads are averaged by 50mph.

    I do all my planning by 50mph. I have had loads like my last one, i was given a 580 mile load with one day to do it (11hours). I knew the route I was going I would have plenty of time. I hammered down and got the 580 miles done in 9 hours and 13 minutes. I averaged 62mph.

    I don't do this for all loads. Most loads like i said before, i do by 50mph. If i get to a point where ill be late, i call my company, they call customer service, and all is fine.
     
  6. madmoneymike5

    madmoneymike5 Medium Load Member

    633
    283
    Jan 30, 2010
    Arlington, TX
    0
    Your 45 and 50 are referring to your MOVING average. I use 50 as well but this requires I figure out how many driving hours I will use and doesn't take into consideration all the time you spend stopped for one reason or another.
     
  7. madmoneymike5

    madmoneymike5 Medium Load Member

    633
    283
    Jan 30, 2010
    Arlington, TX
    0
    Which average mph? Moving or overall (which included stopped time)?
     
  8. DrtyDiesel

    DrtyDiesel Road Train Member

    5,348
    2,598
    Feb 14, 2010
    Jacksonville, FL
    0
    Actually I use my 50 for overall. I add up the time then account for 10 hour breaks. I give myself 30 minutes for a fuel stop. That's about it.

    To be honest I don't trip plan(to an extent) anymore. I'm given a load and I i look at my 70, look at the time frame given, and automatically know if I can do it or not. You'll be able to also once you get used to otr if that's what you'll be doing

    sent from Droid RAZR. DrtyDiesel
     
  9. madmoneymike5

    madmoneymike5 Medium Load Member

    633
    283
    Jan 30, 2010
    Arlington, TX
    0
    Let's use a real world example.

    Shipper and consignee are 769 ACTUAL miles apart. I pick up 2/27 at 0800. I have to be at consignee between 2/28 1800 and 2300. The most amount of time I have to get there is 39 hours--2/28 2300 is 39 hours later than 2/27 0800. A moving average of 50 mph means I could get there in 15.38 hours if I drove straight there without stopping and maintained an average of 50 mph. However, the 11 hour rule prevents this, not to mention hunger and other bodily functions. So, we must take a 10 hour break. So, we now need 25.38 hours to complete the load. But that isn't accurate either because what about eating, fueling, loading at shipper, and any other reasons we stop moving? They all add time to what we need to get from A to B.

    So that is why I'm looking for a clean and easy way to account for all time it takes to get from shipper to consignee, moving AND stopped.
     
  10. DrtyDiesel

    DrtyDiesel Road Train Member

    5,348
    2,598
    Feb 14, 2010
    Jacksonville, FL
    0


    769 miles

    2/27
    pre trip: 15 minutes (on duty)
    loading time: 2 hours (sleeper)
    drive time: 8 hours (on duty)
    breaks: 30 minutes (off duty)
    fuel stop: 15 minutes (on duty)
    400 miles done
    Break: 10 hours
    Hours on duty: 8.5

    2/28
    pre trip: 15 minutes (on duty)
    drive time: 7.5 hours (on duty)
    breaks: 30 minutes (off duty)
    369 miles done
    Hours on Duty: 7.75


    Total Hours Needed on 70: 16.25
    total hours needed to do trip: 26.25
     
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2012
    Everett Thanks this.
  11. CondoCruiser

    CondoCruiser The Legend

    19,726
    18,734
    Apr 18, 2010
    Tennessee
    0
    I'll figure drive time first. You know the speed limits pretty much. If it's all interstate 65 mph, I'll go 5 under and figure 60mph.

    If half is 65 mph interstate and half 55mph state highway, that's 60 mph, so 5 under is 55 and that's what I'll use to divide with.

    Let's say interstate, it's 12.81, rounded up it's 13 hours, add fuel, pti, breaks is 2 hours

    That's 15 hours total. Plus 10 hour break, 25 hours total trip.

    I'm not gonna break the trip up. Too many things can happen. You run hard and get the load there as quick as possible. You get there early and then you can relax if you can't deliver early. New drivers have to build their endurance. You should be ready to run at least 600 miles each day. Don't break trips in half unless you have a long weekend or such.

    You should be able to reset your GPS. GPS ETA will give you a good arrival time plus add stop time. My last GPS, I was usually within 0-10 minutes accurate.

    Plan your fuel stops and plan your breaks. Get your body use to a set time. Don't stop at random. You take planned breaks, you won't be doing emergency piss stops.

    I'll stop twice a day and know where I'm stopping before I leave.
     
    Everett and DrtyDiesel Thank this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.