Could someone give me a day in the life of a truck driver?

I have posted a few black cloud adventures in last post!

 

I have read quite a few of your posts. Helpful, sense of humor and I'm guessing, a Hog fan.

Are there any advantages to living near a company's main terminal? 10 miles from USA and 60 miles from P.A.M. Am considering both, mainly because they are nearby and I thought that might be an advantage as far as spending more actual time at home (don't have as far to travel) and possibly might even result in better treatment (homeboy and all).

If I am wrong in my thinking, that would be the first time (un huh!)......

 

Thank -You! With USA I don't think it would matter where you live as far as home time. You are that close and would probably still not see the house but once a month if that.
I do not live in AR. I am 5.5 hrs away from our main term. One thing that is nice if you live close to one is if you have to have a service done or something done to your truck. You are close enough to get home for your hometime. I try to schedule all of my services in route to or thru one of our yards. Does not always work out that way because sometimes I have to go to a TA.

 

from my last trip out

at home report available at 8:00 not assigned a load until 15:30 I run to jacksonville FL and get in line at the port for a load of eucaliptis fiber straight off the boat. I get loaded about 20:30 and roll down the road until my eyes are going crossed ( I drive for werner so all hours are legal) I pull into a T/S to catch a 10 hour break. I get up in the morning roll the rest of the way into beech island SC and drop at a kimberly clark plant, I should have taken the time to shower but the load was late and getting later. ( my 3rd late load that I'll take the heat for )

now that I'm here at K/C I can't leave until I find/beg/borrow or steal a empty trailer. it's not looking good because I notice as soon as I pull in there are 5 or 6 werner bobtails cruising around I wonder what they are looking for?

I spend one night here watching the yard dogs move one loaded trailer after another to a dock door and then pull it away and park it in the loaded trailer area. up the next morning letting disp. know they have no empties here and aren't making any available to the bobtails that are all still hanging out in the lot.

I lucked out and found a trailer that was over looked by the loaded ones and snagged it and ran. my deadhead was about 135 miles or so it was sunday, I got to the shipper about 1600 found my own paperwork and took care of myself( they are a M-F gig ). sometimes you load yourself when you get to a shipper and sign and turn in copies of paperwork just to keep rolling.

some shippers are very lax and have a very laissez faire attitude, others are so strick as to be called anal "open your doors, slide your tandems, chock your wheels, turn off your truck and turn in your keys before being loaded" that happened up in carlisle PA.

some customers are very clock oriented don't show up more then an hour before the appointment I heard of a wall mart DC that didnt want you more then 5 minutes early or late! now that is strict. some you roll in and say I'm right on time and they say 'oh you weren't expected until tomorrow' almost all loads at werner have a window that can be opened up so the load won't be late.

for me I get up roll my hours stop for fuel/shower and sometimes food during the 14 hour window and stop somewhere between 10-11 hours.

I try to max my miles even on days I load and unload, usually I get close to 600 on those days my best day was 713 miles, my worst was under 100. the month of january I rolled 11,185 miles and had 3 layover days.
2 in fresno 1 in el paso.

 

Every day is different. Load times and delivery times vary. Traffic, weather and DOT plays a good part.

As good as logging everything EXACTLY how you do it sounds, I have yet to be able to do it.

Usually I start out wit a load andd then drive for 1/2 of the entire trip, depending on the total miles... 600 miles=300 before break, 1200 miles still=300 since its a 2 day trip "legally"

I spend some time on the laptop booking my next load or 2 or 3 so I know where I'm going as soon as I'm empty.

I prepare food on the weekend and nuke it on the road. I'm out to make money,not spend it.
Typically, meals with white chicken breast are the best. I have oatmeal for breakfast, a turkey sandwich for lunch and then a chicken meal for supper. I drink Gatorade, water and fruit juice....no soda! Always have a stock of V8 on hand. Gotta keep that spare tire at bay!

At wake up, gotta have my coffee...Folgers coffee bags, beats ANY truckstop coffee!

Eating schedules change so supper may come at 3am and sometimes I only get a chance for 1 meal.

I take DVDs with me for relaxation or the guitar to just unwind.

I think the bottom line for me has always been run hard when you can, sleep when you can, eat when you can, shower when you need it,but ALWAYS make it home safe and sound.
I'm no good to anyone dead. No load is worth killing yourself or others for.

The only true way for a non-driver to get a true sense of what we deal with is a ride-along.

What do I hear the most after a ride along?

Either "I couldn't do that" or "I don't know how you do it".

And we have these type of people make our logbook rules????

Fun fun fun!

Like anything else, you kinda get used to it, almost second nature.

 

Sleep very little. Drive down roads that you do not know during white outs. Upset the 4 wheels behind you because you want to be safe and not hit one coming head on. Get into a nervous sweat as you drive down a 2 lane mountian road that is steeper than you expected and has 180 degree switchbacks that you would be afraid to take a car down.... Wonder if there are any truck stops left when in an out of the way no hick town.... But I love it

 

let's see, drive drive drive, and drive drive drive some more!

 

It used to be eat sleep and drive for me but now i have to stop about 15 times a day for a p break