A Newbie's Outlook After 1st Home Time

i was happy to get a 2000 mile run last wed at noon. by friday evening when i finally left the meat plant to drive 30 hours 3 sleep breaks with 3 stops in northern jersey all by noon monday doesnt seem so nice now

 

short runs up and down the east coast?
um... ok lol
I know I havent been with the company long, but I've never had short runs up and down the east coast, its usually starting from denver, running up to the northwest, then long run to wisconsin... lol, few runs around GA, OH, MO, WI and then back to the west and start all over again. I go back to work tomorrow, repowering a load from denver to orlando, FL so we'll see where I go from there. I've always heard once you get INTO florida its kinda hard finding something going out lol but i have yet to go there myself so we will see next weekend

 

Your DM told you that you'd get stuck running up and down the east coast? What a crock...

 

But hey, someone has to run those local/regional runs, might as well be you guys on the 11 western

 

Actually the east coast runs do exist, I am stuck in it now. It has killed a good 3 month mile average. All of April. I decided to come out for 8 weeks, maybe that was a mistake.

 

Go 48 believe me you'll love it compared to 11 and you might get a 700 mile run ohio to georgia but it sets you up for a 2 k plus run back west

 

The only way one can get stuck on the east coast if they are from the west coast is if they aren't managing their RDO correctly.

If I come off hometime with a run to the east coast and put my next request in for hometime for two to three weeks from that point, logistics can't run me up and down the east coast, kapeesh?

Drivers make the mistake of thinking the longer they stay out, the more miles and longer runs they are going to get. Not so. In fact, extending one's RDO, especially on the 48, is what sets you up for the possibility of getting stuck in a regional vortex.

 

Thats so true

 

so, since we are on this east coast subject. next time I take time off I want to go to NY for a friends birthday. I know people always say well just ask to see if theres somewhere in the area that you can leave the truck (shipper or what not) and save yourself from going all the way back to denver and flying. Is that easier said than done? cause hell I Just looked at flights and those suckers are getting more expensive than they used to be lol so if I could then heck yeah I'd rather just take my days off up in the northeast and then hop back into the truck and get on the road

 

It's not necessarily easy, however, it's doable. I've done it several times. You just have to communicate with your DM what you are trying to accomplish within that particular time frame. The earlier you start planning and communicating, the better your chances will be.