Hard and fast or slow and easy

A 34 hr restart is only a day off. (start 7pm on sat night and leave 5am mon morn).

And from my observations it seems like many of the young "run hard run fast" types don't last very long. They either learn to pace themselves or burn themselves out move on. You don't see to many older drivers doing 6k miles a week solo, surviving on steering wheel naps and bad coffee. despite what they tell you on the CB or in truckstops. They are called tucker stories, just enjoy them for what they are and realize you don't last a long time in this industry without learning how to pace yourself. And yes before we get the "I did a ..... load in .... days" we have all done them now and then, but for many of us they are the exception not the norm.

 

Just this past July, I drove over 7400 miles in 11 days and needed two resets to do it. Of course, this was done in Canada, where 13 hr drive days are allowed, and the 70 hr rule is for 7 days. The previous 8 days were spent down in the US, but once I got back to Ontario I was offered a load that was just too good to pass up. All told, I had 3 resets in 19 days and the biggest settlement check I have seen to date.

One of those resets was because I arrived in Tennesse and delivered on Friday, and my reload was in Florida on Monday. The second reset was because the load delivered in Edmonton on Monday, and I could have been there on Saturday, so I went visiting in Yorkton Saskarchewan. The third was voluntary, taken on my way back to Toronto empty (I was paid the loaded rate to do this)and I stopped to visit my mom and oldest son.

Keep in mind, if you run both Canada and the US, the reset is 36 hours, not 34. Also, running in Canada you must be able to show a 24 hour off duty period in the previous 14 days.

 

Look at the big picture.

What you really want to do is make money. In order to do that you have to run a certain amount of miles per week. Most guys aim for about 3k average (at least with freight the way it is and the economy)

First you're going to have to show your dispatcher that you can get the load there on time with no hassles. Next you need to prove to them that you can take any load offered most of the time.

To do that you're going to have to learn to manage your time, which comes with a little experience.

There's a little learning curve but overall, just be a pro. Keep track of your hours, know where you're going, keep the left door closed and go for it.

It's trucking, don't over complicate it.


................. Jim

 

good point jim Keeping that #### door shut and not stopping to gamble, play video games etc....is the best way to drive.....have I pulled stupid human tricks out there...yes of course was it the norm no, did I do it on purpose HELL no, I prefer to run steady, and not burn out.

 

Well from what I've seen, the major mistake that most new folks make (and a lot of older hands too) is in planning.

Let's say a 1500 mile trip.

A lot of drivers will split it into three days. Two 600 mile days and a 300 mile day. Time allowing, that's the way that I would do it too.

However I've known quite a few guys that make day one the 300 miler. Then they fell pushed for the next two days. Nope, make day three the short day and get there early.

I do more local stuff now but when I was doing OTR and planned my trip, I had a stopping point set every day. When I let out the clutch, I had a real good idea where I was going to be 10-11 hours later. It was always designed to get me there as early as possible then if I had to wait, I get time on line one instead of having to burn up line three just to get there.

But, hey, that's just me.


.................. Jim

 

Just like the fine print for diet aids says, "Your results may vary", the same goes for how you will like to run. For me the load, customer, day of week, etc, dictates how I run. So some weeks it will be balls to wall, others I'll try to work 8.67 hrs per day.

Try um both and see what works best for you.