Am i been blacked balled? Am I? I think i Am!!!

Jump to reefers; if you're running solo with a dry van, you won't make near the money you will pulling reefers coast to coast. Reefer companies pay detention pay also; you get paid for sitting.

 

1) Hurry up and wait is the name of the game.

2) Good trip planning and control of your HOS is key. I almost blew my top at my guy today for starting his pti 45 minutes early. We are now in the weeds all day because we needed that 45 minutes on our 14 to get near our customer for tomorrow morning. It will have a major impact on our weekly mileage.

Last year I was a little lackadaisical getting out of st Louis, figuring I had plenty of time to make W Memphis before my delivery in Olive Branch, MS the next morning. I hit a couple of snags, nothing major, but as I approached the Arkansas border I realized I wouldn't have enough time to make the OC, and there are not a lot of "good" options between Hati, Mo and W Memphis, so I shut down 100 miles early. No biggie, plenty of time on the load, adjusted the nat. On my next load I ended up being 1.5 hours shy of getting to Little Rock, and things cascaded out thru the week. Looking backwords, of I had 15 more minutes on Monday, I would have been home end of day Friday instead of late aftwafternoon Saturday. I figured the 15 minutes cost me 500 miles that week, running the same loads with the same appointments. I also had to run darn hard to make the appointments. Had I just put my nose to the grindstone a little on Monday, it would have been an easier and more profitable week.

3) I know your dbl brushed off your 100 plus miles of unauthorized movement, but I doubt she has forgotten it. I would also guess from your interactions with some members here that you have given her other head aches. You don't need to kiss tail, brown nose, etc, but a little respect and responsibility goes a long way.

4) My nat accuarcy is 98%. Drivers with accuracy under 90% run (on average) 40 fewer miles per day than the median truck. Yours is fine for a new driver, but I doubt you have shown that you are ready and able to crank out loads with tight windows on them. I don't know anything for certain, but based off of your statements, that is the impression I get.

 

The money ain't never gonna be enough if u don't really like what I do out here, this industry will burn u out very quickly if ur chasing money out here,

This is a great post . especially about how working a little bit harder to go the extra mile now will save ur ### in the future... Its been many times I've shutdown a little but early with hours left on my clock only to wake up the next morning to a freak snow storm or a wreck that shut down the interstate... When going a little further I could've been passed it.... Its a bad idea to say " ahh well I'll get it tmrw , it's only 100 miles." the trucking gods will show u how far away 100 miles is with a closed interstate and no alternate routes... End up missing good paying runs after that and kills the entire week

 

You're blackballing yourself if you stay with a company that's not providing a decent living for you.

 

Reefers is to me where the best money is. Flatbed and dry van is very seasonal. When I say best money, I mean most consistent. OP, you must develop patience and have a willingness to travel anywhere sent. That is the best way to make money. 3 hrs isnt a terrible wait. There are times you will sit. Or sometimes a company will tell you to deadhead lengthy miles to better freight or to a terminal. Try to take your 10 hr break at your customer, or as close to your customer as possible. The more hours you show available, easier it is for planners to load you. If your sitting, stay in sleeper berth. Sometimes you may need to split your 10 hr break to 8 and 2. Learn how everything works in this industry and then it will be easier to be an asset