Swift "Mid-term"

Scottie, that load may have been doable but you should have either rejected it with an eta reflecting 500 miles/24 hours or mac22 the first day. My preplanning breaks it down like this for 500 miles in 24 hours:
11 hours - drive 500 miles
10 hours - reset HOS
3 hours - mine for breaks, normal traffic delays.
In reality, after driving 10 hours, I start the truck stop search. I've also gone closer to 600 miles in that time so I'm 100 miles less anxious about arriving on time.

I sleep 6 to 8 hours but, like Moosetek, I need decompress time and don't even think of looking at me for 2 hours after I wake up. So my 10 reset might be 12 or more plus I start my clock so I'm not looking for a stopping place at feeding time.

Once I start rolling I only stop to return the coffee I rented that morning and only at straight through rest stops or safe wide spots on the road. I never stop at truck stops for pee breaks because my way takes minutes while a truck stop will take at least 20 to 30. I do stop for 30 minutes to eat.

By preplanning and holding firm on the 500/24 I have only had 2 loads removed and both replaced shortly after. I arrive on time always and have never had to hustle to the point of being dangerous. I am averaging just over 2900 miles a week.
Frank

 

Not a piece of cake.


I guess you should have not taken that extra hour on the 10.
Or, maybe you didn't really need that shower or meal after all.
Go robot, go...

 

I would have had that last post in sooner, but I was busy repowering my last load.

Yup, gotta adjust those pre-plan times to suit yourself or it will hose you every time.

And don't forget to mention to your DM, when he/she brings up your high load turn down rate, that you did not turn down that many loads - but had adjusted the times and then accepted the load.

Because every time you use Mac9 to adjust the times, it counts as a turn down.

 

Moose, I should have explained better. For me, I like maybe pick up lets say Wednesday morning, have 1200 miles, then del maybe Friday afternoon or early Saturday morning. Do not have to bust my arse. In all my years, I have never really been one to stop for a break. A tingle break, yes, but not really sit down. I have always been one that want to get from point A to point B. Leave the t/s lets say at 7-8 in morning and stop between 3-4. Then have lots of time and there is still parking. Remember, my ideal week is 2800 miles.

 

As many as I have turned down, never once has it been brought up to me about the turn down rate. Just talked to safety the other day, and my risk scores were -3 and -8. She told me good job. I guesss that as a L/O, I have to look at what is beneficial to me and in my best interests. Turned down 3 just yesterday, and my DM agreed with me, and in fact, he was the one that told me to turn them down and he would explain to the planner as to why. It is nice to be out of that POD in PHX.

 

That's the beauty of this business/job ... you can work at what makes sense for you. Me, I'm a high strung Type A. By noon Wednesday I'm on my DM for a Thursday evening delivery ... My ideal week is 3500, 500 a day. Realistically, I expect 3000. I'm averaging 3060 for far this year.

 

I have those weeks a many times. I just do not like paying that extra .09/mi when over, and after figuring all of the expenses, really do not make that much extra, and deal with the stress. By the time that I get home tomorrow, 2400 for the week. This would have been a good week, but then again, I like my 2800/wk. Maybe in my old age, I am just getting lazy.

 

If you get trained properly and pay attention to what's you are getting trained on you should do well without that expensive gps to start out.
The mid term is more than just the sims class they ask about macros, logging, trip planning and how is it going with you and the trainer etc.

One question they ask my student which to me don't make since is what are the two restrictions on US 395 in oregon.
Everybody that drives truck don't need to know that, what if you never and will never drive on 395 in oregon? Why would that be important.

But start learning logging and macros you will be fine, the mid term ain't nothing to worry about

 

Plus the extra to uncle sam. Its feels good to make more money but it seems like everytime you make little extra you have to pay out little extra

 

so swift dosnt have e logs