What time of day do you drive?

Many of us prefer driving at night when there's less traffic and sun glare. There's more solitude and comfort at night with the dash lights low, a hot thermos of coffee and XM radio.

There are no set rules; just depends on your appointment times. On long haul runs cross country, it's easier to find a decent parking spot for the sleep/break periods during the day. Run at night then pull into the truckstops at daylight when most drivers are leaving and then there's plenty of parking.

 

Chinatown said it right. Night is the best time. Take Nashville, Tn for example. In the it could take 1 hour to get through going N up I65. But at night maybe 15 min. No company that I know forces day driving.

 

Nashville can be rough. Maybe some century they will finish the 840 bypass. The Northern loop will probably never be built due to costs due to terrain. If you're headed South on I-65 to I-40 West during rush hour, take the Briley Parkway West route. It's just like an interstate with one traffic light at the entrance to I-40 West. There's also a Pilot Truck Stop on that route.

Do the reverse to bypass Nashville to I-65 North.

 

The load dictates the hours that you drive. That's one aspect that can make trucking very tough for some. You may have to switch from a day-time shift to graveyard shift and back again, all within the course of a week. Just depends on pick up and delivery times. You've gotta learn to rest whenever you can so youre ready to service the customers at their convenience. Circadian rhythms? What's that.

 

II always tried to run at night but times you need to run in the day time. So you must remain flexible as much as you can. I would work it however I leave out of the truck stop at midnight and normally parked by 10 or 11AM but no later than 2PM Unless I had a late afternoon appointment it worked great. Then I would have to adjust. But not always able to do so. As the Gunny said in Heart Break Ridge, Adapt and improvise.

 

If you team, you can always be driving at night.

The other pro to this is that your teammate would deal pretty much the shipper/receivers since most loads are due during the day. All you would do is drive.

 

Well the only thing to keep in mind is the new reset rules 34 hour reset says you cant reset between 1am and 5am thing havent looked at it for a month but may be a issue

 

Companies will normally want you to drive when ever you need to whether night or day depending on the load, I try and stay driving during the day time, some drivers do like the night time better, but not all, that will be your choice, try both figure what suit you better, most loads you will get as a company driver will allow you to drive almost when you feel most comfortable, If you try the night time, just remember that is when Animal activity is higher, Less visibility equals less response time, but, on the plus, lots of chicken coops are closed at night, but if your attentive to your truck/trailer, and paper work, there's not much issue then, /good luck, and stay safe

 

I prefer days.This morning it was 3:45.But like crzyjarmins says,it depends on the load which can really screw your sleeping schedule.Dispatchers will try and work with you once you've been on their board long enough and know what hrs are most productive for you.