Math in Trucking

That's really not worth worrying about yet
There isn't much out here you need to be very accurate about math wise.

Weights, add em up for a rough estimate. If it's close you need to scale.

Trip planning, miles/60= hours needed + mandatory breaks.

After a month you'll be able to give a pretty good guess without much thought anyway.

 

i'd say your hours driven per week and total miles driven loaded or empty. you want to know some basic algebra to add up those hours and miles at the end of the week to compare it with your payroll.

 

You will need basic math to calculate hours to be gained in order to properly plan trips and know whether you have the hours to complete a load when offered/dispatched on it. If you plan on being successful longterm there is a great deal of math involved in trucking, but none of it is overly complicated nor is it anything to be worried about when you first start out.

 

If you can use a calculator and do simple math, then you'll be fine. (60mph is one hour to drive)
Miles driven/gallons used =mpg
Revenue divided by miles driven is rate per mile
Expenses over mile is cost per mile

 

The one area where you must be accurate is your hours. DOT does not have much tolerance if you go over your hours.

 

Bridge height and weight restricted bridges.

 

It's 21;00 and you have to wake up at 4:30,
How long do you set the timer on the Screaming Meanie?

 

Pop it onto the platform scale. Write down gross weight. Move the front axle off. write the lower gross weight down. Subtract. You now know your front steer axle weight. Don't forget to use your trolley gently to float on the platform or you will throw the readings off with your service brakes.

Move until your drives are off the scale. You now know your trailer tandem weight, hopefully the number is less than 34,000 back there for two. If you have a 10 foot spread axle, you can pack 40,000 back there. 20K on each one. Subtract your trailer weight and steer weight to discover your tractor drives weight.

There I hope that I wrote it out as I remember it should be.

having the math wrong and being too heavy somewhere is going to cost you money.