Clock Management and running on recap.

Running on recap is my preference too, but loads don't always allow for that. 8 weeks straight is my recap record.

 

I'm one who seems to need a day off fairly regularly. I stay out between a month an a half and two months between hometime. But, take a day, or two off (depending on where I'm at and what's going on) regularly. My MO is that if I'm earning recap hours, I'm ready for a day off. Doesn't matter how many hours I have or don't have on my 70. If I'm earning recap hours, it means it's been at least 8 days since I had a day off, and I'm ready for one. Of course I do sometimes end up burning through my 70 and basically have to take a 34. My loads and their schedules dictate how that all falls out.
Doesn't make me the most productive driver. But, I found I need that balance to keep from getting too burned out. To each his own with what works for them. Been OTR alittle over 2 years and have found this is what works best for me. My company let's me run like this without complaint.

 

They have you forced dispatch? That was one of the reasons I went contractor division. That and time off flexibility.

 

I tell my company dispatch they control my hours. To me it’s basically common sense. When you’re assigned loads, You run them on time. And your hours will disappear accordingly. Sometimes I’ll be out of hours and 6 1/2 days, and sometimes I can just keep rolling right on through with recaps.

my company doesn’t really do “forced dispatch“ but back loads are basically forced because once you leave the yard you got a come back. I have literally told them the ole phrase, “fool me once it’s your fault, fool me twice…. They don’t pay New York pay for example on a back load. They only pay going up into the Northeast. Extra pay that is. But there’s certain areas in the north east detail send me the guarantee i’ll be having to go into New York on the way back. They won’t pay extra for it despite spending At least an entire day stuck in traffic dealing with New York crap. I won’t do it anymore. I flat out refused. Because if I do I’m literally giving them a day or a day and a half of free labor. You don’t get any miles driving all around New York. Lol

 

Don't know what I wrote to give that impression, but to be clear, NO I am not forced dispatch.
Perhaps it is me saying it is how my company let's me run like this. IDK. It's simply they know the kinds of runs I like and how I like to run. They are pretty good, in my opinion, at sending me loads to fit me. They do send us the loads they want us to run, But, I can refuse any load. I'm not forced to take the load they send me. I don't have direct access to any load boards or similar. It is common I'm talking on the phone with a planner or driver leader and we work out my next load from what loads they have available. Most of the time, they send me loads I'm fine with running and they tend to know when I want a day off. So, they tend to also know when to send me a load which gives me a day off before I start it. I've been here a couple years, so we have gotten used to each other.

 

I’m tired just looking at that, would take me a month to run that many miles