how long do you straight drive without stopping?

no a full pre-trip isn't nesseary. do the tire bump thing as get in thew habit to tug on the fifth wheel before taking off if you have been out of sight of the rig. I also look for leaks as i come back to the truck it is just habit. As for how long I go well I have gone as long as 8hrs none stop. stpped for fuel and snacks and got back in and did another 8. used to run from LA. to okiey city in 22hrs. you don't stop much. it does get easyier as you get into the grove.

 

When I first started I stopped every 3 or 4 hours. Once I got used to it usually stopped after 5 to 6 hours then ran the rest non stop. If I got a good roll going on and don't have to pee I will go the whole day without stopping. 11 or 10 hours straight is nothing once you get used to it, and it's nice to get the day done with a little earlier. Now if I was starting my day at 3 or 4 am I almost always had to stop the second the sun came up no matter what. If I started between 6-8 am I could run it all non stop. To each his own though everyone is different on what they can handle running.

 

keep the door closed and youll be surprised how many miles you cover...maybe thats why im turning gray.... was going to stop at 4 state then I calculated how much time would be lost so I didnt stop....lol burning 11 does get old

 

I'm a rookie driver with only a few months driving and that includes my OTR training. I can say this though, in those short few months I've gone from feeling a bit tired after only 100 miles or so to where I am now, feeling like the day is just getting started at about 200 miles. I stop when I need to stop, not just because...."Hey look, there's a truckstop!!!" My goal most days is to have the 11 hour clock dictate when I have to shutdown, not the 14!

 

Straight from the CMV Drivers Manual

Tires. [FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]Check the tire mounting and air pressure. Inspect the tires every two hours or every 100 miles when driving in very hot weather. Air pressure increases with temperature. Do not let air out or the pressure will be too low when the tires cool off. If a tire is too hot to touch, remain stopped until the tire cools off. Otherwise the tire may blow out or catch fire.
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For me, three things determine how hard I run: how much mileage I have to cover; how much time I have to get it there; and how much time I have left on my 70 hours. I've learned that it doesn't always pay to run all 11 hours in a day; if you do that then you'll soon find yourself constantly bumping up against your 70-hour clock. This can be a real bummer if you're on a really good haul and you end up having to relay the load to someone else (because you ran out of hours way too soon) and take a 34 in the middle of some God-forsaken dump.

Ideally, you'll want to run no more than 8.75/day - you'll never have to take a 34 hour reset that way. Unfortunately, we live in the real world, and this is not always possible. So, while you're doing your logbook, keep a good eye on your recap; not doing so can mean leaving money on the table.

 

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/safety-initiatives/cargo/cs-manual-chap2.htm


At the bottom of the page it states to check securment at the first 50 miles, when ever duty status changes, and every 3 hours or 150 miles which ever comes first.

 

Stop when you need a break, everyone is different as long as your load is on time no one really cares. Somedays I stop every 30 minutes....oh wait....that's due to snow and chains.

 

A 5 min. bathroom break doesn't need to be logged....correct?

 

what ever YOU do, DO NOT drive with out stopping every once in a while. as you are driving, you will most likely be taking sips of soda, water, iced tea/coffee, etc. sooner or later it has to "come out", so DO NOT fight the urge. to do so WILL cause you medical problems, if not NOW, but in your future.

you stop when you want to, every 3 hours, 4 hours, what ever. take a quick walk around your rig, check your tire, lights, trailer doors, etc, then "squirt the dirt"............or, "squirt the dirt" first, then take that walk around.......

just watch out for tiny critters in the bushes, or the "bears" (cops) hiding in the bushes as well. some states for the longest time, if you "squirt the dirt" along the side of the road, they nab you, than you have to register as a sex offender.......!!!!!

gone are the good old days when we could "squirt in peace".........