The miles, sigh...

Yeah, I figured. They tried to send me from Jersey to Cincinnati to get to Maine once... My Qualcomm free form was two words long - 'Wrong direction.' And it wasn't an allusion to the crappy pop band.

 

Well I have that song in my head now: "Should I stay or should I go?"

 

I think your bad luck rubbed off on me today, tanker. Sitting in Atlanta since 7.30a with a botched appt. 4.5hrs later and not a peep about a new appt. When my 14 about dies I'm dragging it to Lithia Springs. The best part - this was a 28 DH / 9 LD trip. BS!

 

That's an experience many company drivers have. I had that, too. But one thing you need to understand is that load to Cincinnati just may have been the key to picking up a load that went directly home.

Here's a suggestion for any company driver that may someday want to become an owner operator. Download a load board app, like 123Loadboard or Truckloads. I like 123Loadboard because it shows the average rate per mile for the load you are considering.

Let's say you are in Dallas and want home time in New Jersey. Put in your search parameters: type of trailer, where you want to pick up, what radius maximum deadhead miles you want, where you want to go, and how big a radius from your final destination you want. You might be surprised to learn there aren't ANY loads going from where you are to where you want to go. These are load boards with loads from dozens of brokers. Your company may have more limited options.

This is the challenge for the planners in your company. How to get a driver from point "A" to point "B" without exceeding 15% deadhead miles. Go much above 15% with low tariff freight and the company loses money.

Instead of outright rejecting a load in that situation, call your driver manager and/or the planner. See if they are getting you to a location with a better chance to get home.

 

Fill out a stack of apps now for real trucking companies. By the time they call you 2 weeks would have passed. Take the first decent job that pays hourly; give Werner 2 weeks notice. By that time one month has passed and your goal achieved.

Come back here talk #### about Werner with your goal achieved.