e-log trip planning

Where were you coming from in KY, where were you going in UT, what was your Macro 27 routing?

I use a GPS and with a little Atlas usage, a little math, and a working knowledge (backwards and forwards of HOS rules) I know fairly shortly if a load is tight or I have some wiggle room.

I then inform my FM if there is a problem or potential problem. If he doesnt hear anything from me, then he can assume I will get there on time no problem.

It could be a simple message as "Hey, assuming I dont run into any problems or major delays, Ive only got an hour cushion on this load"... this translates into - I got the load info, given transit time, fuel time, PTI, and HOS breaks, Ive only got an hour I can lose to traffic, lines at the fuel pumps, weather, and other things I cant predict)

If you cant make it, straight up, tell your FM. You will either be pulled off it, it could be re-powered, or re-scheduled.

I would really like to know where you were coming from and where you were going... anything over 10 percent difference between dispatch and actual smells of a mistake on your part.

 

Yeah I screwed up a run just yesterday and had to repower today. Got a load assignment while I was sleeping, woke up and looked at it, quickly determined I could make it, accepted the load, then went back to sleep before my 9pm pick up. After I was awake and on my way, I realized due to HOS rules, I'd be arriving at my 90 about 4 to 5 hours late if I had no delays along the way. So I sent my dispatcher a message this morning stating I couldn't make it on time legally and gave him my eta. His response?

"What happened?!? Accepted load and loaded on time???"

Weelllllll #####. Don't I feel like a #######. Anyway, I apologized to him, got this thing repowered, and now sitting and waiting for my next load instead of rolling and making money...all because I didn't plan like I should have. Now I have to rely on the weekend crew to get me a load tomorrow, let alone my sleep cycle is going to be all out of whack if I get dispatched in the morning. Not planning for a load correctly sets off a chain reaction, both as a driver and in dispatch. Lots of unnecessary work for everybody, and will probably result in you (or in this case, me), sitting for a little bit. Just 5 minutes saves a ton of headache.

In any case, my point being, don't just blindly accept a load like I made the mistake of doing. Look it over and be 100% sure you can make it before accepting the load. If there are problems, tell your fleet manager before you accept it, and do it all over QC so you have written record of it. Doing what I did causes a slew of problems, all because I didn't take 5 minutes out of my day to double check the numbers.

Am I being too hard on myself?

Oh, and as U2 also said, the difference in miles doesn't seem right. Something isn't adding up there.

 

Big one that comes to mind is Macro 27 routing having a driver tak NE-2 between I-80 and I-29... That route alone cuts 40 some miles between MO and NE... I know my GPS always wants to go North to Omaha to catch I80... Although there is some city traffic in Lincoln with a couple stoplights and such, its not enough to erase even half that 40 some mile advantage.

Unlike some routes where 8 or 10 miles saved is wasted sitting at a dozen stoplights.

 

How much time do they give you to say yes you can make tha load, or no..you want?

 

No... its a hard business. Chalk-it up as a learning experience, and move onto the next load.

The load page with the load number, reefer settings etc gives you the mty and loaded miles you will be paid with. Fuel page and mac15 output give you the real miles you will be driving. Sometimes there is a 10% difference between the two... not always against your favor in the pay department. It is what it is. Don't plan your trip off of the first page.

D-man and I have an agreement on variations off of mac27 routing. Anything over a few miles and I'll qc him the particulars. Always get an approval. Mac27 is really stupid about taking the shortest route - doesn't take into account traffic or grades. For awhile they were routing us down US30 THROUGH south Chicago when the toll increases hit on the Indiana toll road - that was a time and fuel killer. They send us through on I80 now, and switch to US30 on the east side. Always plan on 35 to 45 mph on US highways in high-density suburban environments... and it will kill your fuel mileage; definitely don't try to beat the lights. Use the techniques taught in Smith System to try to time your arrival at the line of traffic at the light, and if at all possible be able to keep a little speed instead of stopping.

I'll usually propose not taking the little roads OVER the Pennsy mountains, but go around on the big road. Like the mac27 short cut from I476 to Hazleton via PA209... that's stupid instead of going up to I80. Also, avoid I68 from Pittsburg to Hagerstown MA like the plague - 5 really heavy grades, plan on 25mph for the entire stretch.

If you can't figure it out in 15 minutes, you don't need to be driving. Might take longer to get the whole plan in place though. It also depends on how short the fuse is between getting the load and the first load appointment.

 

I have never worked for a company that forced routing on me I don't think. IWX questioned me once because I was in Frazer Park, CA instead of Ontario, CA heading for Kingman , 17:30 Friday of a 3 day weekend, and when I arrived in Kingman 2 hour ahead of the 3 other trucks that left HP Dominguez Hills with me and my mileage was on that trip was 10 miles longer, But out of 4 trucks I was the only one that was on time let alone early. After that they never said a word.

I tend to run the shortest miles anyway. I figure the miles, divide that by 50 mph, add in stop times (meals sleep etc..) then except the load or not. If I think that I cannot make the load by there appointment time I will tell them Can't make 7am but I can make it by 13:00. Once excepted I will do everything in my power to make the appointment time.

But you know s is going to happen somewhere. I find that dispatch miles is usually really close to miles I drive, very close. If your using a GPS maybe you need to learn to read a map book first. I all for technology, however it does not replace common sense. If they are going to force routing then they should pay you for all the miles.

 

That's about 14% off... a little on the high side. If it were me, I'd mention it to my FM, and see if I couldn't get some money added onto my settlement.

Here's the thing. You have to use the mileage listed on the mac27 page, or enter data for mac15. mac27 returns the shortest distance; mac15 returns the route with the shortest time at the speed limit. Those may be two different things, and you're not doing the speed limit in one of our trucks most days.

Take the distance from the mac27 page and divide by 50 mph to get your total time. I usually add 10% to that for good measure. See when that will get you to your 90 adding appropriate delays for loading, hos, etc. Make sure this time will allow you to meet your receiver appointments. Also note just how much slack you have to deal with. That tells you something about how "on the ball" you have to be during the course of your trip.

Review the route. Routing on interstates and limited access highways is good at 50 mph. Add time for anything you know is going to climb a grade, or is routed over US or state roads: This is going to vary. US30 in Ohio is basically a local interstate. In Indiana US30 is mostly a rural 4-lane highway with some wonderful towns full of stoplights. In Chicago US30 is a local road with lots of stoplights. Allow time for traffic departing your shipper and arriving at your receiver.

So here's some tips... when you're empty and the qualcomm beeps - you don't go back to sleep. Deal with a load as soon as it comes down. Keep the left door shut and do the driving first. If you have extra time at the end of the trip before you unload, then fool around and do your personal stuff. Stopping at the casino/truckstop/walmart enroute is trouble, unless you have lots of time to spare. And you want that extra time in case you run into trouble along the way.