Van Drivers

Wow u haven't even started yet, and ur already questioning about getting home. Your dm is going to luv u!!!

 

Lets just say this. Not to discourage you....but if you're worried about being home every other week, you're probably not going to get run hard, and you might end up quitting because "its not worth it to be out, and sitting for a day, then get a short load, then sit for a day, then get a short load". If you're going to start driving.....be ready to drive. I.E......be ready to be 'out' for a month at a time. and be ready for 1200-1500 mi weeks for the first month till you proove yourself to your DM. Turn down a single load, and odds are you'll have a hard time breaking 2000 mi in a few months. Show your DM you're willing to bust your tail, and s/he will reward you by setting you up with a regional run, or do their best to get your hometime when you want it. Keeping in mind asking for a weekend off, might end up seeing you get a load that drops on a sunday, and you get monday-tues. off. Or getting a load that drops thursday, and getting firday-sat. off. Please, as a newbie, ask for anything....especially when you want home (date specific and expecting to get it) or turning down loads that arent 500 miles +.

just my 2 cents...............wait...........forget that....i need to keep those two cents, since i'm now a future failure (according to REDD) leasing a truck.

 

If you live in your companies regular freight lanes, 2 weeks is normal. But you'll find you need to stay out to make more money. Remember one day off for one week out. I like 4-5 weeks out with 4-5 days off. But I usually have to dead head about 150 miles home.

 

Quick question for you vets. I just completed orientation and am just waiting on a mentor.

They told us in orientation that if you take more than 2 or 3 days off, they will reassign your truck. Do you guys running 4 or 5 weeks at a time have to clean out and switch your tractors every time you do this? I'd like to stay out a few weeks at a time as well so I can take 4 or 5 days off straight, but not if I'm gonna have to change trucks every time. Especially if I get a unit I really like.

Thanks.
JerryT