90 days experience - where to go?

Yeah we are not the only ones who are waiting around. I have a lot of friends who drive for Swift and they say they have never had to wait for a load like they are now. I finally got a good run from Greenville, SC to Dallas, TX. 940 loaded miles. Picked up Thursday night and doesn't deliver until monday afternoon. I have been sitting 10 miles from the customer since 9am this morning. They will not let me tcall the load either saying "they won't have anything for me for awhile" So much for Bendover... I mean Layover pay..lol

Its no laughing matter though seriously. I want you to consder something before you change driver managers.

My driver manager is a complete nut case. It took me two months of complaining and naging to get 2 days of layover pay. Now I racked up about 4 more and have yet to see them on my paycheck. If your driver manager is at least getting your pay correct and doesn't "forget" to put stuff in the computer and he actually follows through with things then I would recommend keeping him. The planners are the ones who give you loads. Your driver manager has very little effect on your miles. The only thing he can do is make notes on where you want to go, your home time, your hours of service availability... but unless he is friends with a planner its not up to him where you go or how many miles you get. The only thing he can do is let the planner(s) know what you want.

Here are a few tips... hopefully you already know them.

When you do a 34hr reset send in a message on the QC letting someone know "I have just completed a 34hr reset, please update my hours in the computer. Thank you." This will make sure that the hours you show in your logbook match what the planners see. I have found that when you reach the end of your 70 hours, and you are relying on hours falling off to have time available, they usually will give you short runs. Whenever I complete a reset and send the message I usually get a longer run. I just completed a reset a day before they gave me this 940 mile run. Also if you are given 3 days to go on a run that only takes a day or so then try to plan your breaks so that you can get a 34hr reset. Just send the msg on the QC when your done... Swift doesn't have the brains to figure out that you have sat long enough to get one... so keep them updated.

Also when you do get a short run send a message asking "Am I going to be backed up by at least 800 miles on my next run if I take this?" 9 times out of 10 it works even though they may only send 700 miles... its still longer.

Last week I took a local run just so I could get an empty trailer (the load I took was a live unload, hence the empty)... as soon as I was unloaded I had a 650 mile preplan (even though it didn't pickup till the next day... I just kept my ### away from the terminal --they love to steal your empty--)

Memphis is my home terminal. All I can say is I feel your pain. Everytime I go there it sucks. They call the driver lounge the "whine room"...lol

anyway, good luck and maybe I'll see ya on the road.

 

I did that for a few days. I was in New Albany, MS pulling a reefer trailer and running from 9pm to 7am with 3 to 4 stops. It was easy but unfortunately my body did not take the night shift to well. I usually get up way early and it was a quick change one day I got up at 4am and 2 days later I was trying to sleep during the day. Totally didn't work. I have no issue with running at night but not those kind of hours. The pay was great. I would get a 200 mile run with 4 stops or so on average and I added up all the pay (you get more per mile since its under 300) and it ranged from $80 to $120 per day. I made about $400 in the time I ran a few loads for them.

What kind of WM dedicated are you talking about?

Just curious.