How do you guys drive over 200 miles without a break?

200 miles lol...
when my ELD went out I slammed through a 1000 mile day and went to bed with a headache from hell for not drinking anything all day

The punishment on your body isn't worth it. Piss jugs, amen.

 

I am definitely not a drive 6-8 hours without stopping type. I like to stop at least every 2-3 hours to stretch my legs and take a leak, even if its just a few minutes.

 

In my opinion, if you can't afford to take a break every few hours, you should find a better paying gig. Its not about running hard. It's about running smart.

 

I don't drive every day or even every week but when I do I usually try to break my 11 in two. Drive about 5-6 hours, take my thirty and then drive the rest of my 11. I hate stopping and starting. Gatorade bottle comes in handy.

 

I try to plan my day by looking at the route and checking for any favorite truck stops, etc. along the way. I pick one within the first 5-8 hours of my day, stop there for my 30, then continue. So sometimes I drive the full initial 8 without stopping, and sometimes I stop at 3-4 hours and then drive 8... or some alternative combo in between that's legal.

 

dwalto, I think you might be missing something here. I'm not at all sure it's about "..if you can't afford to take a break." Some drivers like to stretch their clock by not stopping. Some drivers just like to drive and don't like sitting around truck stops or rest areas. (I am one of both of these.) You might have noticed that your days start earlier if you don't take many breaks. Then there's the wear and tear on your 70hr clock from stops.

Every driver finds their own work pattern if they stay around. For me, running the clock for the first half and having a shorter 2nd half of the drive clock makes a lot of sense. For me, one driver for sure, it has very little or nothing to do with the money. Then too, if I have a day where I want more stops, that's exactly how that day is going to be. No two loads the same, no two backs the same, and no two days the same, right?

 

When i was otr i prefered to push a min of 6 hours before a break, the front half plus a little is easier to haul straight through without fatiuge. The back half/third is where i needed a few 10 min stops to stretch and rest the eyes...

 

I just set the cruise and step out on the running board and let it rip!

 

I am a keep the left door shut and get the job done kind of guy . After 35 years of practice and 35 years of truck improvements . I find a 600 to 700 mile day without stopping to be a breeze .

I don't do it every day because of the nanny state making it illegal to do my job the way I see fit .
Stopping is a waste of my time that is why I fuel at the beginning or end of my day .

 

Just from a safety standpoint you should at least walk around your truck and look at the tires every 150 miles or so.