Bobtailing 2K miles. Any advice?

I have had to deadhead 3 times long distance out of Texas to California when I was leased onto Swift and they couldn't get me home. It's a great way to get to know your truck and smoot out your shifting at least for me. Thing was like a bucking bronco, nowadays can bobtail around you would think there was a trailer back there smooth as silk.

 

Drive extra extra carefully, and maintain a HUGE following distance at all times.

 

You don't want to wait for a load and want to drive 2000 miles losing money and missing out on any potential profit?
That's 4000 $ difference. New tires. 15 oil changes. A used car. You could buy a house in Detroit for that money.

 

Skip the gears on the up shift and go drag race some mustangs !

 

I'd be really surprised if you found a power only that worked in your situation. I was willing to go cheap on whatever was offered as a power only in my situation and there was nothing. I'll bet shipping cost is $2 a mile that's what I was quoted. You know the old saying $2 a mile is the new buck a mile from the days of old. Power Source pays their operators about a $1.30 a mile and has them do loadouts. The company can run cheap freight on their operators and gross well over $2 a mile for themselves. You can bobtail yourself for cheaper than $2 a mile. By all means try to book a power only but like said, you will be lucky if you do.

 

Driving 3yrs and you need advise on bobtailing? Has to be a joke....

 

I once bobtail a cab-over Freightliner from Arkansas to Blythe, CA across the southern route to pick up a loader trailer left after another hand had wrecked. It was an easy trip & all went quite well.

 

Utility ships trailers all the time from Utah to points central and east. Clear field Utah, if your dispatch can't find something power only, find a new dispatcher! Even on the free load boards they list power only loads.

 

Avoid cruise unless dry roads. Keep your speed down and you should easily do 10 mpg or so