New driver…first time on detention pay.

I waited at a customer near S.F. for 36 hours to unload a tanker truck. I think I made $2k on detention & layover for that one trip.

 

1.) Being a pest doesn't speed up the process.
2.) Work when you're willing and able and don't when you ain't.
I don't do anything just because I have x hours left on clock.
When it's time for me to find a parking space or sleep,
it doesn't matter if i have 12 hours left on clock, I'm done.
4.) Empty gatorade jug or two. Most important tool in the truck.

 

One thing I found is all companies have different detention policies they follow. The best I found was just getting a union job and getting paid minimal cents to drive, hrly pay for all hours on clock. they all varied in rate too depending on what I was doing but it was being paid so whatever. Like someone stated above, some companies with detention policies don't like to pay the driver. Sometimes you have to fight for it and it becomes a PITA.

Never be a pest. I usually always waited and just asked every so often. find something you like to do in the truck to keep you busy.

Get a big jug us your imagination there.... stay safe

 

Five gallon bucket and some trash bags and a box of kitty litter is handy too .

 

If its no2, then trash bags will work. No1, outside worked fine for me.

 

I'm surprised at the number of people that say don't be a pest. I agree, up until my breaking point. At that point I'm done being nice. There may be repercussions, like getting yourself banned. As I got older my breaking point got shorter and shorter. Good thing I retired. At least my wife still thinks I'm nice.

 

Something else to keep in mind... once you get parked, put yourself in the sleeper and don't move the truck. If you end up being there for 2+ hours you can split logging. No sense in wasting valuable minutes on your clock just driving around looking for a porta-pisser. Get yourself a Kindle, Xbox, laptop, ect to help pass the time.

As for being a pest. It's all about attitude. There's nothing wrong with asking about the status of your trailer. Just be polite and professional. You go in there with a chip on your shoulder, you'll be waiting longer guaranteed.

 

I actually got banned from a place in Chitown. I dropped my trailer and was waiting for it to be unloaded while bobtail. I asked her how long it would be, she said I'll call you. I was waiting to get unloaded to haul ### down to my house to board up the windows for an almost direct hit from Hurricane Laura in 2020. An hour goes by, nothing. I go to her window and ask if she knew anything. She said "go sit in your truck." I was like ok, but I need to get out of here. Another hour goes by. I went back to the window and she told me again rudely "go sit in your truck!!" So instead, I walked around to my trailer (only a couple of doors down from the man-door I was coming out of) and went and stood by my trailer to see if I could catch a dock worker to see how long it would be because my dispatcher was constantly bugging me for an ETA so he could pre-plan me a trip back home ASAP. But I couldn't give him one. Well, I was by my trailer about 1 minute and she came out in the parking lot storming mad and told me that because I didn't obey her command I was banned. I told her fine, unload this ####ing trailer or I'm taking the crap with me to a truck stop and you can come get it there, because if I'm banned, I'm gone. She called her boss and immediately I was unloaded and I left.

I hated that place anyway. Glad to be banned.

 

I would ask the lead hand for a honest answer…let him know you dont care how long “do i have time to go for dinner or dinner and a trip to the rub n tug? They always gave me a timeline.

 

Lots of good advice here I’m new too. I typically ask after an hour nicely of course not if my trailer is done but for a timeline. No timeline means I stand there with a smile and pace, people hate pacing it agitates them, they want you gone so typically within 5 minutes they have an answer.