SWIFT Solo Drivers What's Your Typical Day?

I don't drive for Swift but I'd guess they expect you to drive as much as legally possible. Meaning at least 10 hours or 600 miles per driving shift. Which isn't really a lot. There are cowboys running 800 or 900 miles a day on paper, especially out west.

 

I am on the shuttle now, 472 miles every day, 6 days a week, but I was on a dedicated for many years for Swift. The daily miles would vary from 400 to sometimes over 600, but that was rare. I probably averaged 2200 to 2500 miles a week.

By the way, you are doing it right by driving about 8 hours a day. Be careful with your on duty not driving time and you will always have hours to work without a reset.

 

I run Target Dedicated, and I *average* around 400 miles a day. Some days are 550+; others are closer to 250. It all depends on the freight load for that day.

When I run OTR, I try to break 600 on my driving days.

 

I run about eight hours a day unless I woke up late and have to run 10.
I try not to go 11 because I end up getting burned out by weeks end.

 

I drive what I can, or what I feel like, on any given day.

A good week would be 2500-2700 miles.
Average is probably 2200.

Personally I like to drive around 450-500 miles per day. But the loads don't always amount to that much.
Loading and unloading times, the time in between loads, the short ones that lead to something better...
Sometimes I do 600+ in a day.

Today I had a load that was all of 8 miles loaded, and I had to sit around for several hours before the delivery time.
I got paid $50 for that load, so the actual miles was not an issue.
That load was to get me a decent mt for my 450 mile reposition down to NM, where freight is actually moving.

I really don't worry about how many miles I do during a day, or even a week.
If I make enough $ for what I need, I am fine.


I seem to be like you. I don't want to run my tail off every single day. I like to relax at the end of the day and have some time to myself.
It may be a 'lifestyle', but it is a job none the less. And I'm not about to run myself into the ground doing it.
My 'lifestyle' is what I choose to make of it, after all.

I set my own pace out here, and the company seems just fine with how I do my job.
I have a great on-time percentage, I have a Gold rating, my safety score is very good and my fuel mileage is usually pretty high.

I'm happy, Swift is happy.
And it has nothing to do with driving as many miles as are legally possible.

 

4-22 = 2465
4-29= 331 home time

5-06= 2298
5-13 = 2817

5-20= 2633
5-26= 1700 home time
this week will be about 2654 as of Tuesday..I am OTR

 

I am Target dedicated, a good week I hit over 2500 miles, a slow week I get around 2100 and probably have averaged 2200 or so the past couple months but its starting to pick up now which im feeling. During the busy season such as Christmas I was running 3k average a week or more. I am about to take on Vegas runs going from Shafter, CA to Vegas then backhaul out of Lake Havasu AZ back to CA so the miles are going to increase a ton.

As for OTR I did not do too well for a lot of the time since I was lazy, bypassed good loads because I was picky on driving times, where it was going etc, once I started working harder and saw the better checks it changed my attitude on how much I drive. You might be happy with 8 hours a day, heck I wouldnt mind 8 hours a day if I could make the same money but I am happy if I put in 11-12 hours a day.

 

I average about 8.75 a day. I don't like driving more than that. I sometimes drive those 10 hour days but that's the exception and not rule. Because I hate taking a 34 hour reset. I belive in the past 8 months, I have done one

 

depends on the load and when it has to get there. i try to get as much miles in early, just in case of any issues. for this reason, i probably do more resets than most. but thats ok with me. example, this load i'm waiting for now(enroute to slc terminal)goes to fountain co for 05/27 0500 appt. i'm gonna run to denver terminal(531 miles) today, the run the 90 miles tomorrow at a t/s thats at that exit. i'm like moose, as long as my weekly checks are decent, i'm good. i have no kids, girlfreinds,or home. just a few bills(which should all be paid off this year). only thing i'm picky about, is i dont run over nite. also, i try to skirt the bad weather areas( been lucky this year)