Night driving vs day time

Bring rubbing alcohol with you. It's for cleaning the inside of the windows. Perfectly clean windows make a big difference at night.

 

I hate overnight drives just because I dont do it enough to get into a routine for it. I'll do one maybe every couple months and it's always a situation where I'm up all day and have to drive all night. Had to do one last night actually. Got done loading at 2000 and got to my del at 0400. Hated every minute of it but it's nice to be able to catch the George Nore show every now and then.

 

I love driving nights. Less traffic, easy to get fuel. I don't get tired at night either. The other day I had to drive during the day and had to struggle to stay alert.

 

I prefer to run daytime, but up here we all just run days in the summer and nights in the winter, it simplifies things. lol
In the winter I really prefer to run days, but most of my work is nights, so that is what I do.

 

Night driving is somewhat common, but it does have it's downsides.

First, many restaurants will be closed.

Second, a lot of support companies will be closed. Shops, washouts, even some smaller truck stop convenience stores in really out of the way places.

Third, finding a place to park for lunch, if you have food to eat, can be frustrating at 2 AM when everyone else is parked.

Fourth, even in clear weather, your maximum visibility will be about half a mile. This can matter if you are driving towards a wreck, or a weather front.

Fifth, deer tend to get on the roads more at night.

Sixth, in the winter, roads are less well tended by plows and salt trucks at night, except during severe weather.

All that said... driving at night is definitely doable. The lack of traffic on the roads makes travel easier, and that makes many other problems acceptable.

Some appointment times will screw with a night driving schedule though, no matter how much you want to drive at night. A 3PM delivery time will ruin your night shift schedule.

 

It's an old thread. I'd like to leave my 2 cents. Night time is absolutely better than daytime if you do one long trip per week.

1. If your shift ends anytime after 4:30-5am, you're guaranteed to find a parking spot at any truck stop easily.

2. If you fuel up anytime between 1am to 4am. There will be no waiting at all. It usually takes me 10 minutes while during daytime it can take up to 45 mins or longer.

3. No traffic, easy drive. Obviously.

4. You never have to wait for showers whether it's at the end of shift around 4:30am or around 12pm.

5. You can easily take 30 minutes break by parking somewhere at truck stop, rest area or on ramp.

6. You have to train your body. You have to become a night person. It takes time. Once that's done you'd never feel sleepy at night. With healthy diet and Pilot Coffee you will be fine.

However, I sleep around 3am when I'm home. I mostly end my shift around 4:30-5am. Yes you lack energy and alertness at night but there's no traffic. It's still better at night for me.

When delivering and picking up I must drive during day but that's only once a week since. That beingeat said, night time driving is not for everyone. It all comes down to preference.

I mostly bring my own food. I buy Tuna, Chicken, Ham wraps from Love or Walmart that you can just take out of cooler/refrigerator and eat it. I never have issues about going to restaurants late at night.

 

I wish I could run nights. Not anymore. And even when I did, I shouldn't have.

 

I didn't read any of the comments so sorry if this is redundant.

I do day and night driving both pulling a reefer.

Night time driving is very peaceful. Low traffic, closed weigh stations mostly, truckers that are on the road are more laid back. Parking at the end of your shift is going to be easy.

Weather can be harsher, there's more deer on the road, reduced visibility, more issues with fatigue. Drunk drivers.

Some guys that never worked overnight can drive overnight. Others that have worked graveyard shifts can't drive at night. Or at least it's challenging.

Its different because you aren't walking around a warehouse with lights on, constantly moving. You are just sitting in a dark cab, staring off into the inky dark blackness, not moving much... for hours and hours.

I like night driving a lot more than day. Give it a shot! Just know the signs of fatigue and stop if you have to. Tired driving is OK, fatigued driving is not.

You will see fatigued truckers out at night driving. They drive very poorly. Its usually at about 11PM to 1AM. The last of the solar powered guys will be still looking for a spot.

 

Night is better for observing the trucks with all the chicken lights lit up like times square!

 

California, I run only at night unless it’s a day unload or load, east coast from Fredricksburg to anywhere NYC or north towards Boston I run nights.