Running with JCT

That's what I was afraid off. I guess I better plan on a midnight run through there. I sure wish our government would give us some flexibility. A great example was today when I pulled into the Love's. I was right at my 8hrs on duty mark for my 30min break. I had 15min left on my 70, but I needed to fuel. So a 30min. break it is, than back on duty to fuel and than park for the night.

 

After the trailer brake issue got taken care of, made it to delivery 48 minutes late at the guard house; of course that doesn't count here. First you drive to a dock door, slide your tandems, break your seal and open up, drop suspension, dock it, chock it, crank the gear down and disconnect, park in the bobtail lot, walk your paperwork in, wait in line, then we see what time it is.... hour and a half late? Afraid we'll have to "work you in"... oh well, did my best, now time to take a nap...

 

You can work past the 8 hours. You just cannot drive again until you've had your 30 minute break. It's just like working past your 14, you just can't drive again till you've had your 10 hour break.

 

After my first week of dusting off my OTR skills, I can see why these guys can't keep drivers in road trucks.

Tell me JCT dispatchers are better than you giving them an ETA for an open delivery appointment with dispatch and the broker telling you "no problem" to get unloaded. Upon arrival the customer closed 30min before. Then after your 10hrs its your problem for messing up their schedule for having the shop check out an engine oil leak. Oh it gets more comical, Friday afternoon in New England(I93 north of Boston) they changed my pick up to a customer that closed at 230p, I say I can't get there until 245p and they say go anyway.

And it was suggested to me that I, not telling me to run illegally but just suggesting, needed to do things to "help out." Sorry no, they knew that's not how I run before I switched from LTL. They also knew I did a thorough inspection. If me making sure company equipment isn't going to break, IE doing my job because with the issues I've had air, oil and coolant leaks the last guy didn't, is a problem for the schedule then maybe planning OTR loads with no room to adjust for delay doesn't always work.

But on a more positive side I was able to improve the average MPG of an 07 Mack Vision, EGR motor, with dual recap on truck and trailer also no fairings at all. For the week I was able to post a .35avg mpg improvement. I don't have any great hopes of pulling the numbers you guys are but it proves that fuel saving techniques work. It takes discipline, and to be honest I got lazy and hit the button a few times or I'd've probably been able to get from 5.55 to 6mpg instead of 5.9.

I almost called JCT a few times but decided I needed more time to relearn trip planning and play around with fuel routing.

Sharpp, if you have a minute can you repost those links for the GPS truckstop update and fuel app?

 

Like many old hands I've had my doubts on the elogs but I'm beginning to see how they can be a good thing.

Is there one you use to get fuel prices? I just DL'd that but haven't had time to play around with it.

 

BRS Yes there are at least one that they use, I can't remember what they were, I'm sure Sharpp will be in here in a while or later, These guys run really hard. they get in here when they can, I'm not with them yet, I had a set back but I will be there as soon as I can be.

 

I always used www.findfuelstops.com . It always worked well for me, and it free.