Adjusting sleep times

I know. It’s crazy in these forums the amount of complete contradiction among different posters, and even same user, different day. For some it’s a matter of what sort of mood they’re in, if they are going to support the OP or ream him a new one.

 

Make sure your truck has full window curtains and a sleeper partition curtain. If not and your carrier is going to occasionally expect you to flip your schedule, I’d demand they install a proper curtain set. You need it as dark as possible to “fool” your mind into thinking it’s time to sleep.

 

Does 'choose a job' mean accepting or rejecting runs from dispatchers of the company you're working for, or does it mean you ask questions of a new trucking company that you might go to work for to try and get a commitment on how they're going to use you, and then cross your fingers and hope they give you what they promised after you give notice to your current company and join the new company?
This whole notion of what you do and don't have to accept and attempting to mold your schedule a certain way is a topic in itself. I wish I knew more about it but don't know what category thread that would fall under to go read posts. No one has indicated that company seniority has anything to do with anything, but I'll read where someone gets to be home every night when I know other drivers would like to and can't and I'll think "so how did he get that? What makes him special?"

People on here say you don't want to job hop too often, but if they don't give you the type of schedule and runs they said they would before you hired in, what are you going to do? (this is assuming they're even open to talking about it in advance of your being hired, rather than thinking 'he's too choosy and we don't need any more choosy drivers'). I've had jobs before where they tell you anything you want to hear to suck you in. Then you switch jobs and move to a different city and find out it was all lies.

 

Most OTR jobs don't allow the flexibility of a set start time. Coast to coast running makes it much easier to keep a set sleep schedule. Lot's of produce going from California to east coast.

 

I've never had that problem. When I am tired and ready to nap/sleep,.. I could roll out a sleeping bag in the middle of grand central station under neon/led lights with noises and people and unless someone kicked me,.. I'd sleep like a baby.

Not saying I dont enjoy my privacy,.. I have a curtain in both my trucks and I use them. But I dont need light or darkness to fool my mind into thinking its day or night for sleeping.

Years of abuse and torment as a child created an imbalance in my system to where my sleep patterns are really screwed up.

Hurst

 

I dont see how you guys do it,.. day in and day out. I did it for a year as a company driver in order to get back into this business. But my plan was always to get my own truck and work with a schedule that allowed me to sleep and work at my own pace. Not a company or ELD invoked schedule.

Even when I was younger and worked in construction,.. long days really took it out of me. I was usually sleeping on the couch within 15 mins of watching TV,.. my wife would get me to come into the bedroom where I would do my sleep/wake pattern all night long.

I've tried medication, seen doctors, even a shrink to help me become more "Normal". Even under sedatives,.. I'll wake after 3 - 4 hours like I always do. I am broken in that regard. I will never be normal.

The only times I can ever remember sleeping a full night was in my late teens and early 20's when I used to toke up regularly. Once I got into the union and now with trucking,.. I dont want to deal with the consequences of pissing dirty,.. so I here I am.

Hurst

 

What exactly is the definition of a long day in the construction industry?

 

In the union,.. mostly 8 - 10 hour days. Very strict and safety oriented. Not too bad.

As a worker when I hit the right to work no union state of Fla,.. 10 - 12 hours is not uncommon,. add in the drive time to and from job sites,.. can make for a 12 - 15 hour day. Working almost twice the hours earning 50% less. It was brutal.

As a foreman,.. my day would typically start at 4:30am. Head to the shop to pick up my truck, make sure I have everything I need for that day. Then head out and pick up my illegal workers who have no license. Arrive on site by 7am,.. put in a 10 - 12 hour day so they can get the OT they need because the $7 - $8hr the company pays them wont go far with only 40hrs. Run them all home. Get to the shop in the dark. Open gate,.. go fuel up my truck, check tires and oil etc so I dont have to worry about it in the morning. Go check my mail box for any paperwork, inspections that may be coming, blue prints etc,.. then go grab a hand full of safety glasses, gloves and gear to replace the ones my illegals tore up that day. Park the truck. Hop in my personal pickup,. and head home. I might get home between 7 - 9pm depending on how the day went. 16 - 18 hour days were not uncommon. There was a lot more to it,.. running guys out for drug tests. Guys who quit,.. new hires,.. company meetings,.. inspectors,.. barely time to piss.

Hurst

 

That sounds kind of similar to my job I got now where I'm home everyday.
I set the alarm for 6 a.m. every morning and I get dressed and head out the door and I punch the time clock at 7 a.m. and then I drive around for up to 14 hours and then get back to the yard within my 14-hour window hopefully sometimes I have to push it to 16 hours fill out my paperwork and punch out and then head home and I'm usually away from home 16 hours every day.