Want To Drive A 379 Pete

Most of my solo trucks do 3500-3800 miles in 5-5 1/2 days every week. Some people still DO run miles like it's always been done. Others think that 2200 is average and 2500 is a good week. To those people I would ask; Why bother? Why stay away from home for weeks on end for that? Couldn't you find a better job and be home every night?(like maybe at McDonald's) Oh well, guess I'm also in the minority, but my drivers all seem to agree with me and that's what matters to me.

 

Exactly why I'm considering getting out of a tractor all together. Long haul trucking is dead in america and that is what I have always loved doing. If it's not yet dead it's terminal.
Out and back then some GOOD time off to spend all that money. That just isn't around anymore and I am NOT going to be away from my family six out of every seven days for 2500 miles.

 

Debbie's donut, you might want to try these people:

http://www.gardenscapetransport.com/services.htm

i think they run only petes. They do not seem to have any terminals out west, but they say they run out there all the time so you may be able to get home that way.

i too, want to drive for a company that has decent equipment (anything but volvo+freightliner), so let me know how it goes.

 

Man that is sooo true and so sad. I'm making 3/4 as good as I was OTR, all the while spending about 1/2 what I was out there. So really I'm coming out on top even though the pay isn't as big.

 

Allot of guys don't factor in the cost of being on the road and that is a BIG one. I always brought most of my food for 5 days(that's all I could fit) but I still spent a ton on the road.
Only thing I don't like about local jobs is that they work too anyhours and usually the better paying ones work evening and nights so I eded up still not seeing my family.
I'm kinda disallusioned right now with the whole thing. I'd go back otr if I owned the truck but that's the only way. I like to be able to call the shots. Oh, and I mean OWN the truck not finance the truck

 

They bash you because they cant understand. Some of these people out here are totally lost and I cant figure out how they even get around. I have seen the quality of drivers go down a ton over the years These big companys hire some real WINNERS.

 

I think about that everytime I'm behind the wheel. It doesn't stop me from doing it though. If anything, I'd say I'm even more cautious. I stay more alert and aware of my surroundings. There is the unpredictable out here, and it happens every day. I reckon it's just playing the odds for me. Three million trucks on the road, and maybe a half dozen drivers (probably a lot less than that) a day who get sent to the big house. In my years of driving I've only had an officer look at my log book about 7 times since August 2003 and I've still never had a log book citation. If an officer finds my book to be off, he/she just tells me to get it caught up and writes a warning.

I don't encourage anyone to drive like this. If you can do it, great, but you better be aware of the consequences. I know I am everytime that log book ain't current or has been blatantly falsified.

 

Makes me wonder how some of these 2000/2500 mile a week drivers would have faired 10 or 20 years ago.

 

No kidding. Years ago, 2000 miles was a good weekend, and I'm not kidding. Havent done that in years though LOL