A couple questions...

My first year, I was averaging about 9-12k miles a month hauling reefer. I ran 48 but didn't get to the East coast much. I know that between Christmas and Easter, the miles really dropped off. After Easter, they started picking up again and I was slammed during the summer.

At most chain truck stops (Pilot/FJ, Loves, TA/Petro) if you get 50 gallons of fuel, you get a shower. I'm not sure about DEF, I've never used it. I've driven with much less than 1/4 tank, but not by choice. I have pulled in for fuel on fumes, but I certainly don't recommend it. I usually fill up before getting loaded and once I get to around 1/4 tank, I fill back up. Sometimes on a beer, fruit or other heavy load my company wants me to run with 1/2 full tanks, but I hate that. The thing is, I always plan ahead for my fuel stops so I don't get caught short.

Good luck!

 

Mary, my question to you would be what can you afford to live on for your first year or two in this industry?

At .30 cpm to start, how many miles a month do you HAVE to drive to survive?

As far as showers go, you will usually always have a shower credit (not every day though) running the 48 for May.

On your point about not running on less than a 1/4 tank, you really don't have a choice as May controls and dispatches the fuel using software that is tied to the metrics of the truck and best fuel prices in the direction you are going. That's one of the points about being micro-managed there

 

You have to stay proactive on the fuel requests. A lot of new drivers freak out when the red light comes on indicating low fuel. I have run two hundred plus miles with that red light on

The other thing to keep in perspective as an entry level driver, most of you worry about things that very rarely happen. Kind of like the boggie man under your bed syndrome

 

I fill up at Loves ( not crazy about them) and I'm automatically put on "Platinum" which means you have endless showers and coffee refills. They never did that before but do now for some reason.

 

You're right bc I just figured mine will go quite a ways too..

 

not an option at may, you have to fuel where they tell you to fuel, and its usually Pilot/FJ
scooter hit all the others ^.^
and yeah, get used to that 1/4 tank lol but like he said, just tell them you need fuel (same with DEF since with that you don't want to get to the 1/8th mark.. .you dont have to run out of DEF to have to get towed to the shop, 1/8th is low enough that the truck will say screw you and stop running)

 

LMAO...(truck saying screw you)

oh sorry didn't know she was a comp driver..yeah ya gotta go where they say. I wonder if Flying J n Pilot has that "Platinum. " shower deal now? Ya know since they got busted...