Making your day efficient

do not waste time in the truck stops.

have some snacks already packed in your travel bag or cooler.

have bottled water packed as well.

if you drink coffee, take along a thermos.

when going to a truck stop to fuel, shower, eat, sleep, have your shower bag pre-packed and ready to go.

re-check any map / gps routing for your destination for the next driving period.

try not to stay awake for too long once back to your truck, which might cause you to over sleep.

get up about 30-45 minutes before the alarm clock, go inside, shave, brush teeth, and have breakfast.

get back to your truck, and GO.....

 

If you have yard move Elog options, use them on private property. Immediately when you arrive at a shipper, fueling, etc. Learn traffic patterns of major cities so you avoid rush hour, don’t be afraid to use two lane highways, etc. Fuel islands are usually easy to get in and out early am. Treat shippers and receivers well and they sometimes unload you more willingly.

 

You don’t have to drive fast to save time. You just have to keep rolling.

One time on an eight hour stretch of road I stopped once. Another truck passed me six times that day, when I got to the first stop light at the end, the other truck pulled up beside me.

 

Coffee... I have a small 5 cup Black and Decker coffee maker in the truck. I fire it up and go do my pre-trip. When at the dock, same thing, I like a fresh cup of coffee...

Be polite on the docks, empathize with their plight and try to get in and out as quickly as possible. It is like pulling teeth to get some of these guys to do their job. You catch more bees with honey...

I try to find mom and pop truck stops, most of the time they are easier to get in and out of and generally have parking. Many have showers, but not all. I use an ap called Fuelbook to find these little gems. They are not all on there, but quite a few are. I like to go where the locals go.

And here is the one that gets everyone's fur flying. Zip-Loc Quart FREEZER BAGS. I have used these for years, and they are a life saver. You pee in them, zip them up and throw in your trash can. Throw that trash bag in the truck stop dumpster. You will thank me at 3am when you are sleeping soundly and have to go. Especially if you are in a bad area or in the middle of a storm. Women can use the gallon bags, in a coffee can. I have had women drivers, they still thank me to this day.

On GPS, I use a Garmin Dezl and my iPhone with Google maps. Google can be a real life saver regarding routing. Just beware that Google does not recognize truck routes and weight restrictions. A good paper atlas (Rand) to verify truck routes is a given, buy one.

 

Having a load going from say Yakima WA with Onions to Boston Market delivering in 6 days.

That way YOU can chop up the ELD working hours as you plan through your trip day by day. Keeping it moving. (Not speeding... not stopping unless you must)

I love those long hauls solo or team. That means Im not rotting at a grocery waiting for a 300 dollar lumpers.

Awake time means oversleeping later. Get your sleep where possible. Even if it's a nap.

 

1. SLEEP when it is time to sleep. No TV watching, no web surfing, no phone calls.
2. Get up 2 hours earlier than when you need to leave. Go do a triple S, if needed (shat shave shower). Get a light breakfast. Don’t eat heavy when you have to put the miles down.

“What’s a light breakfast, Six?

A biscuit, a sandwich, a burrito. That and an OJ or coffee (I don’t drink coffee, but it seems that many can’t function without it. Don’t understand that one, but do what you have to do.) I normally get that little square of cheese they sell in the refrigerated section and a water.

3. Put everything you need to do your job in arms length. Tablet, atlas, power cord, contact info of shippers and receivers, headset, beverage and snack crackers and chewing gum...etc. I program the destination into my GPS, i then program turn by turn into it.

4. Top off the fuel tank if below 3/4 full. You don’t want to have to fuel in the middle of your drive time. Huge waste of time. The more you accomplish at the beginning of your day or end of your day, the more driving you can do.

“But Six, my truck gets really good economy and I can make it to my receiver on the fuel I have.”

Are you going to end your day at the receiver? No? Then top your tanks off. You never know what you may need to do and the time you have to do it. We’re trying to run more efficiently, right? You may have to hightail it to another load, or the weather goes to hell, or a power grid goes down, or there’s a glitch in the company fuel cards and they system is down for hours...and you need fuel.

5. Drive at a relaxed pace. If you’re in heavy traffic, and you’re getting stressed, slow down 2-3 mph. You will be able to still keep pace, but you’ve increased your following distance. Instant stress reliever.

“But Six, all the 4 wheels will be cutting in front of me.”

So what? As long as we don’t swap paint, I don’t care.

6. Stick with the plan. You got a certain number of miles you have to cover. Keep your left door shut and cover those miles.

7. Take that 30 minute break in a pickle park. Or, if you are a vampire, the weigh station on ramp. It takes too long getting in and out of a truck stop.

 

Do bot stop unless for fuel or 30 min break.
Avoid traffic when you can.
Stay west of the Mississippi River.

 

Don't concentrate on the elog, focus on driving safely and being a professional. The more you focus on "being efficient", the more sacrifices in these very important areas you'll start making.

If your company gets after you for not using every second of your drive time in a single day, they aren't a company worth working for. Starting out in trucking means making mistakes and learning from them. Your company should offering advice and help with getting better, via instruction and mentorship, not punishment for being new and inexperienced.

Depending on where you are, driving 11 hours in a single day is going to be hard enough when you start out. Chances are you won't even be able to do a full day in your first few weeks by yourself. There is a much increased level of stress when you get out on your own.

 

I 100% concur with @TripleSix on all points.

Full tanks is a life/time saver.

Last week, Target DC held up my trailer for 2hrs longer than planned. I got my $200 detention, but the kicker was hightailing, thru rain & traffic to the next juicy load, 150 miles away. It paid $3.50/mile, 600 miles, 5K lbs....with 5 mins before plant closing DROPDEAD TIME.