Was Late today

I was never late.I think the main reason most guys are late is because they don't realize how long it will take to get where they are going.

 

That and they often go by paid miles, instead of actual miles...

The route they decide to take there may actually be 100 miles more...

 

I was half way between Knoxville and Nashville one night when this driver was asking directions on how to get to Chattanooga out of Knoxville he started out at Nashville.I think more fuel is wasted from running out of route than is idling.

 

With me...sometimes I have to weigh length of trip, verses ease of getting there...

If it's late at night and I'm red eyeing it...I will go with ease of getting there over length of trip...

For although back road driving may be shorter...by the time it's all done and said...it may take longer due to road conditions, traffic lights ect ect...

At night...I notice the faster I'm moving...the more alert I am...back roads at night tend to tire me out...

 

The driver I was talking about could have easily already been in Chatanooga if he had left Nashville on I-24 it's only 120 mi.he ran 200mi.to get to Knoxville and than was still a 100mi from Chattanooga.lol...

 

Many modern drivers are lost without GPS....I still prefer a old fashioned atlas...

I don't like to drive 'blind'...what I mean by that is directions only, without actually seeing what route or street I'm on....

Left here, right there...that doesn't work with me...that kind of blind faith driving will get you in trouble...

I need to see what route 'right' is...before I make that turn...

 

Late for what? So you can sit there 8-12 hours until they decide to load or unload you.

 

well boys and girls that is the way it has been for ever just because there are new laws doesn't mean brokers planers ect. will not try to make you go as hard as you can. Yes now days it isn't as bad. Back in the day i used to get to trip evelopes one had cash in it the other had my co driver in it or my east coast turn around. I have spent many a day at a dock loading a load and many a night driving the load. you newer hands out here don't know what it was like to do that. I can tell you i have done it many times and it wont change. there will always be that guy that is hungry that wants that cheap load that wants to get home. if you don't like this world you put yourself in then i strongly suggest you go get a day job where you are not asked to push yourself to your breaking point and then dig a little deeper for more. there was a time when a driver pulling a refer was a day late when he left the dock.the only load planner you had was you and a dollar for a new log book.
so suck it up and go get your job done give the boss an honest days work for an honest days pay

 

Big Rigger, I don't know much about trip planning (read nothing). When i was in school the instructor told us when he was on the road, he always planned his trips at 55 mpr. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks

 

I can get up with a alarm,but i have a wife that i tell my schedule and she calls 15 min early up to 6 times.
1time she had to call me (lack of sleep) i cuss her ,but really you can't ##### when you have a wife that helps her man out .
She told me it's all our job to make sure you can do your best.