Recaps, 34 hr reset and the 70 hour limit?

Good freight means available loads in the area. This can also mean staying in a carriers established traffic lanes. My last company once you crossed the rocky mtns going west sometimes you have long backhauls empty.

 

And if there’s no available loads, what’s bad about that? I thought you get paid just to drive to deliver a load or pick up a load.

 

What's bad about no loads? It means you are not driving. Unless you work for a carrier that pays for these layovers it means you are not making any money.

 

Driving on the way to find a load. There’s got to be a load somewhere. All they told me is you get paid x cpm per mile. I took that at face value as if well then I must get paid driving 200 miles to pick up a load. So if you get there and there’s no load, wouldn’t they make you drive somewhere else then to get a load?

 

I can't answer your question. Way, too many things that can change. These questions are better directed to your company.

 

Your drive into a shipper. When you arrive your ELD will most likely switch to on duty when you stop, apply the parking brake and put the truck in neutral. You get out of the truck and go to the shipping / receiving door. They tell you to back into door #74. Your ELD most likely will remain on duty as you move that small distance. After you bump the dock unless the shipper requires you to observe loading/unloading or you are performing any other work that would require you to be on duty you are off. I then switch the ELD to off duty or sleeper. I usually crawl into my bunk to read or watch a movie.

2-24hours go by while they do whatever they do load/unload. They then bang on the trailer, call you, or knock on your door. When that happens I switch my ELD back to on duty. Grab the paperwork confirm it with my load assignment, check that the seal on my trailer matches my paperwork, and walk around the truck to check it out and then I get back to rolling.

If any of you more experienced drivers have any input I’d love to hear it.

 

Well you’ve cleared up a lot for me already. I just found out most major carriers pay for empty miles too. I thought they would anyways

 

I can't add anything. You bout summed it all up.

 

If paid by mileage most companies do pay empty miles as well. However, if loads are sparse in your area you may end up sitting for awhile waiting for a load. During those times you don't get paid. Now, some companies will pay layover pay if waiting more than 24 hours for a load. For example, my company pays $100 per 24 hour period while waiting on a load but it has to be 24 hours before you get anything. Carriers don't like to deadhead you (empty miles) any more than they have to because they don't get paid for those miles.