Does running hard make any difference?

Everyone should have an idea,about their maximum miles per day,mine is 600 in my governed truck.
I give myself 4 hours per day for food,fuel,shower etc.
3000 mile trip would take 5 days of max driving,add 4 hours per day,and add an extra day.
6 days total,to run the 3000 miles.
My company usually gives me an extra day,which I rarely need.
Most times I arrive one hour before my eta.

 

Just guessing but your truck is governed under 60 MPH?

 

You dont want to run all your hours per day out either.it's important to see what time you need to be there and what time zone they re in.for example say you deliver to Wal-Mart in Denver at 8 am.you need to be there 8 am mountain time zone.also companies use military time.so if u have a delivery appt of say 16:00 that's 4 pm.
.

 

65,But I reset the trip each day,and 600 shows up quite often.
I run more when needed,but use 600 for my eta calculation.

 

The best tool by far to aid in trip planning is a trucker GPS. I use the Rand 520.

The biggest drawback to trip planning is not knowing the speed limits on many roads, especially if you are off the interstate routes. A GPS has that information and calculates the route with speed limits in mind.
Once you know the approximate drive time the trip will really take it is an easy matter to add in the other needed variables - all required breaks, fuelling and scaling, an extra hour or two for construction zones or accidents, etc..

With a full 600 mile day I include time for the required 30 and two 15 minute breaks, and a 12 hour sleep break.
And at 62, barring any major slowdowns, I can do 600 miles in 12 hours easily.

Make sure you have the correct options set correctly for your trip.
For example, if you are in a truck governed at 62 you would set the ETA ADJUSTMENT to Increase ETA Some.
That will add some time to the trip by reducing the average miles per hour to something closer to your actual speed. On the RM it sets the maximum speed to 60 for the calculations.

Another example are the options for Freeways. You would select Prefer Freeways if your fuel route has you routed on freeways, but Allow All if it is a mix between freeways and smaller roads and highways.
Toll routes are another option, and sometimes you may be routed to avoid the tolls. That usually takes a bit longer.
Always plan the route for the worst case - avoiding toll roads, going the shorter but slower way, etc.

And always check how many hours you have on your 70, and what may be coming in if you get recap hours back.

Once you accept a load you are bound to it as if in a contract.
If you mess up with your available hours, and can't deliver on time because of that, it is a service failure for sure.
Too many service failures is a sure way to get fired.

 

Whether you want to run 'hard' or not always think of tomorrow.

That extra 75 miles today could be the difference between getting through Chicago tomorrow night when traffic is light vs. going through during rush hour(s) the next day. Running a little extra today to be ahead of traffic or weather tomorrow would seem a no brainer but for some it's not even a consideration.

 

There is that.
The other side of the coin is to run a few less miles today to put you in a better situation tomorrow.
Shut down with 3 hours on your 11 at 1600 just before you hit the traffic, to pick it up again at 0400 to slide through with no delays?

Trucking isn't brain surgery or rocket science, but I would bet that many of those geniuses would have a hard time planning a trip correctly.

 

Yep, just saying always look as far ahead as you can and consider how today will affect tomorrow and the next day.

 

I remember being tight on time on a load to Niagra Falls last January. One of those I can make OTD if I don't have any major snags along the way... Hit a snow storm in Iowa on 80 about 1400, traffic was slowing down and the plows were just getting started. I had planned to drive into Illinois before shutting down, but instead shut down where I was to give them time to work on the roads.

When I stopped traffic was running about 35mph, when I started out again around 10pm, the road was clear and speeds were back up to 65.

The reaity is, trip is planning never ends until you are at final. I constantly make adjustments throughout the day. A trip plan is a guide line not a step by step instruction.

I dont get any routing from my carrier, just a when and where to be. I believe most of the Starter companies will give you your routing, and your fuel stops, so you will just jeed to figure out where to stop and take your breaks.

You will get the hang of it in no time.

 

Do all companies choose your fuel stops or can you stop when and where you want to fuel?