Roehl Driver Check In Continued

Cool, glad it was not a ROEHL recruiter that told you 3500-4000 miles per week, as that is 1000-1500 more miles per week than most recruiters are going to estimate.
As I stated earlier, I don't think it is even mathematically possible to drive 4000 miles in a 70 hour week in a 63 mph truck. Not doubting your source, as he may be an O/O with an ungoverned truck that can run 75 mph if needed.

 

So Viking 84 what terminal office do you work out of? You obviously are not a Driver with the nonsense you are talking. The stuff these Drivers speak of does happen there. I ran 14/7 for the 2 yrs I was there and some of this stuff happened to me and I was one of the best on my FM's board. How do I know this? because other FMs told me I was. These Drivers should move on if they can't make the money they need to support their families or themselves because that pay plan they have in place doesn't benefit the Driver at all.

You talk about attitude and work ethic the reason they are not getting miles, that is bs in my book. Most of the Drivers that I came across and actually knew were good Drivers and knew how to get stuff done but still got the screws put to them when it came to miles. If you take every load and deliver on time there is no excuse why you shouldn't be getting miles. One exception is the trainers, as long as they have a student they always get good miles. Those people will never see a load that picks up on Friday and delivers 400 miles away on Monday unless they don't have a student. Now don't me wrong I will always appreciate the fact they gave me the opportunity to start driving after I finished my school (not RDTC) but unfortunately things haven't gotten any better since I left a yr ago.

 

During my time in the office work ethic and attitude played very little into the amount of miles you were going to get in a week. Some of my hardest runners had terrible attitudes. Some of my laziest drivers were consistently running 2200 mpw. As far as I'm concerned the only thing a driver can do to get lower miles is not communicate. If you are running early, and the cons will accept you, say you're going to be early. Then your FM needs to update your ETA/PTA and communicate with the planners to try to get you a load sooner. They should also be looking to put you in high freight areas, regardless of your likes and dislikes. You're out there to make money, not to run loads to the west coast because you like it, or away from the north east because you hate it. If there are more loads than trucks in an area they should be aiming you there. We had a daily meeting in the flatbed division where we discussed miles, freight trends, new customers, concerns, etc. If your FM pays attention during these meeting they should be able to keep you moving as well as possible. When there is no freight, there isn't much they can do.

 

Well, I ended up with 3000 miles for the week Monday thru Sunday. Now I am sitting in a suburb of Detroit waiting for a 4AM delivery appointment with a Sam's Club, and then another Sam's at 6AM. Still haven't received a pre-plan for after these two Sam's deliveries. I guess I have to ask for one to be sent, I will be sure to say Thank You

 

Communication.. Great point, and a perfect example of what I am saying in that a driver can be reason for low miles. If a driver is in the bottom 5% of the fleet he is driving in, then it cannot be all on the company. The driver has to share some of the blame.

 

I am indeed a driver. Been one with ROEHL for few years now. Average about 2800 per week each year since 2009.
I stand by my statement that if you are a driver and are in the bottom 5% of your fleet in miles, then YOU are doing something wrong.
Sometimes the truth hurts, but it is still the truth.
And as Jack Nicholson said in "A FEW GOOD MEN" YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!!!
Opposite goes for drivers in the top 5%, as they are doing something above and beyond what the average driver is doing, or they would not be in that top 5%...

PS- I am a trainer and 0/0 and fairly often get short weekend loads. That is simply part of the business.

 

I would have to agree with you that drivers that net less than 2200 miles week are doing something wrong, be it their time management or they have chosen the wrong fleet or maybe even the wrong occupation.

Running Mon - Fri I wasn't getting any more than 1800 to 2200 miles per week. I ran hard and managed my clock very well, but what I believe was happening was the planners were keeping me close to my home area to meet my desire to be home weekly. Now, I've decided to see what running two weeks will bring and so far week one has netted 3000 miles. The balance of this run will be Monday - Friday. If my theory holds true, I will net 1800 - 2200 additional miles. Bringing my total for twelve days to 4800 - 6200, or an average of 400 - 516 per day.

 

Lol still not sure who said they're in the bottom 5%? You keep repeating that but we've said we are NOT. So your dumb comment about ethic holds no ground here.
I'm am NOT in the bottom 5 and have not gotten (in over a month) the 2600 I was 'promised'.
This argument is dumb. I'm not getting what I need to make it worth being out here. PERIOD. I've done everything I can including setting up a meeting with my fleet manager to make sure I wasn't screwing up somewhere. I'm not. Just end up getting bad luck for what ever reason. It's been a great experience and I've learned a TON on the road. And for that I can thank Roehl. I can thank them for the lessons, the experience and the time over the road.

But I can not say they lived up to 2600 miles regularly(within reason). Or that I wasn't screwed time after time with trailer repairs or layovers constantly. 3 dropped down break chambers in a month. 6 stop in Chicago land area. Took me #### near all week because of traffic and dumb apt times. And a small amount of miles. 5 stop in Atlanta. Nightmare. I called ahead to verify delivery and people still weren't prepared. I'm always early or on time. ALWAYS. I'm out here to work. Not screw around.
I'm going to bow out now and just leave it at: I'm not happy being away from my family and am money hungry. This, in my personal opinion, is not worth it. So I will find something that makes me happy. Different strokes, I suppose.
I haven't locked into a local job at home yet but I have a hand full of interviews set up for over my home time. So we'll see.

 

Flying J Columbia, SC. Unload in the AM, then a PP to Buffalo, NY. Another nice 1000 mile run. Miles coming fast and furious now like normal.

 

This is the winning answer I believe. I know a curtain driver that's been with the company 20 yrs. He's taking a couple weeks off and actually got sent home two days early because they didn't have anything. Dry van we're running like crazy. Buddy of mine who is an o/o with Roehl just told me today he got a 2000 mile run from Mass to Boulder, CO. I've had back to back 1000+ mile runs.