pros/cons of overnight driving

I have to totally agree with ya, Ridge!

That's pretty much what I do. .My personal preference is to start between 3-4am and I rarely have any problems keeping the same schedule consistently.

 

Good question! For me, it won't happen.

Perfect example: this morning I got up at 4am and drove the last 3 hours of this load. I complete my drop n hook, taking about 30 minutes, then a 10 minute drive over to the truck stop-making it 7:45am. I now have until 6pm to get a load.. I sent an empty call at 7:30am, made 2 informative phone calls, and 3 QC messages since then. Phone calls & QC messages are only to inform them of my dwindling hours. About 30 minutes from now, I will change my ready time to 4am.

I've done this for the last few years, and excluding the occasional appt. outside of my "regular" working hours, I have no problems.

I'm a firm believer in stress free work. I learned a long time ago, your FM, DM, or whatever you call him/her, sleeps soundly in bed every night. So, why shouldn't I?

 

Nothing wrong with that... different strokes for different folks. It will usually reflect in how aggressively you're dispatched.

 

Yeah, usually it will. I rarely have time to get much more than my 10 hour break. More often then not, I have 2-3 preplans lined up.

 

pros:no traffic..cons:sleepy truckers,drunk drivers,deer..If I have to drive allnite,I'd go to sleep at 6pm get up at 12:00..and be rolling by 1:00am..I put the the radio on Sirius 80's on 8,crank the volume and roll..

 

I first started my career in 1977 at 21 years of age. i Drove for FFE out of lancaster and was a co-driver for a contractor for 4 years. I almost never drove during the day. Except for morning rush hour in Chicago. Funny how he timed it just right. No big deal, i'm from Brooklyn N.Y. and city driving is no big deal. However i was young then and had great night eyes. i dont care who you are, Vision deteriorates with age even with contacts , glasses or lasic. Now that i'm an LTLer, the only driving in the dark is on my way to work in the winter months. i punch in at 7:30 am and done before dark.
it was easier back in the 70's with less traffic and actual courtesy from other drivers, 4 wheelers as well as truckers. remember that thingy with drivers flashing litees to help pass? did something change that this is not done any more or is it "he with faster truck goes first" ???

 

CONS ABOUT night driving, Glare and its hard to read signs!

 

I've always preferred nights. I started driving teams with ONC from PDX to SLC back in '72. Loved nights. Lighter traffic, less crazy people on the highways, less police, coops were mostly closed.
Got a gig in '88 driving a private company rig San Diego to Seattle and back every week. Leave SD at 10pm, miss most of LA's traffic. Went thru PDX during night and arrived in SEA early morning before rush hour.
Night time radio is better too. But I do miss Art Bell interviewing aliens from planet Froof!