Prime Reefer

You wanted real numbers so here they are:

This week I have driven 2159 miles and have 150 left on my load that delivers sun... that's 2267 paid miles 2314 actual miles with an average of 462 per day. I know they'll find me a short run... even if I pick up from a drop yard or take to a terminal or something.... plus I'm a day early on this load... so it's possible I could have sat sun mon and tues morning to deliver another load. Another 500 to 600 miles is easy. So that could put me around 2800 or so... which after insurance and what I owe prime is about $775 clear... I was $165 in the hole from last week so I'll clear about $600 or so I'm guessing. What I owe drops off June Aug and sept. So my take home will be increasing.

Even though my fleet manager is off this weekend he preplanned me thru the weekend.... I was at my 01 getting the preplan for the next load already.

As far as getting home....I was told FOUR weeks out and 4 days home.. not 3. Due to money I have been staying out 6 weeks at a time and give FM a month notice. As with any relationship this is a give and take. My FM knows I'll message him very early with problems.. I get everywhere hours early.... I don't do personal Stuff during loads... if I need to do laundry or go shopping at Walmart I'll tell him to give me a later load rather than using my loaded break which could make me tired or God forbid over sleep. He gets me home on my requested days... got me to Springfield for a doctor appt.... and when I went through pittston and was sick he let me go home after I dropped my load... without notice. I know drivers who complain to him they don't want walmart loads cause they take forever and don't pay the same detention. I love walmart... lots of space for me to back.... and I can often go in sleeper for 8 hrs then roll out of there with a chunk of time on my clock. Even if they don't have parking... there is usually a close by street or industrial park. Other drivers will sit there the 4 hrs then roll out to a truck stop and take a 10 hr so now they are down 14 hours that day. If I then take a 2 hrs break... I can get moving some more. Gives him more flexibility and me more miles.

Here's a true story... a guy who upgraded with me started teaming then decided to go company solo. His first week his FM took it easy on him and gave him a lot of time on a load. The guy sat at a truck stop for 28 hours 100 miles away from the 90. TWO hours before the Appt he left and ... hit traffic in california... shocking and unpredictable I know. He was 2 hours late for something he had plenty of time for. Now... which driver do you think a FM is going to be willing to work with to get home upon request or get loaded faster? Me who is at the customer 7 hours early (like today)... or that guy?

By the end of most days although never been told to do so.. I'll message and tell him "parked 10 miles from 90 for 0600 appt". Or "I'll be shutting down at 01 by 0200 for 1000 appt" he loves the communication cause he scratches me off his list and worries about other drivers.

I'm not saying I'm perfect... I'm a rookie and I screw up... but when I do its much easier for him to deal with than a "problem child".

Thanks a lot Rainy. Looks like i will do just fine there.

Hey Bolt, I hope you noticed that not only did Rainy show you her miles, but also pointed out a lot of the little things she does to make sure she's getting good loads and keeping her wheels turning.

You can't take a trucking job and just expect them to load you up with miles just because you're there. Rainy pointed out how she makes sure she's available at the right times so they can keep her moving. She's managing her clock like a seasoned vet, getting unloaded early or, at least early in the day, and just being proactive to make sure she's one of her dispatcher's "go to drivers."

Take notes, because she is showing you the path to success.

I'm not sure where she learned this stuff so early in her career, but she is firing on all cylinders, and is a great example of how you do this stuff right.

Just so I can understand a little better, what is 01 and 90? Company lingo??

Just so I can understand a little better, what is 01 and 90? Company lingo??

These are the stops for a load.

01: the first stop - the shipper

(Most OTR don't have in-between stops, which would be 02, 03, etc.)

90: the last stop - the consignee/ receiver.

Captain Obvious says:

Just in case you thought you had a "stupid question", no your question is not ... until you saw the answer is so obvious!

Yes old school I did notice that. As a foreman on a construction crew time management is very important. I not only have to manage my day but several days in advance to prevent work stoppages. I am thrilled with rainy's info.

Oh, I don't remember using those terms before. Oh well. Errol sent u an email w a swift question? Medical question.

Yay I said something right hahhaha. Thanks ;)

Just so you know... my Appt to get unloaded was for 7pm tonight and reload at the same place 10am tomorrow. Guess what? I called at 6am and they said they wouldn't take me early. I rolled in here anyway... checked in like I belonged smiled and was sweet..... and an hour later... at 1pm.. I was in the door getting unloaded. Shifts changed and they said I couldn't get unloaded earlier than 6am... that is 4 hrs before Appt and will help me deal with holiday east coast shore traffic. It's 630 pm... guess where I am now??? In the door getting loaded!!!!! Hahhah.. best case I drop this early tomorrow night and get rolling again. Worst I'll spend tomorrow night 20 miles from customer.

Btw.... I learned from YOUZ GUYZ... said in my Jersey accent hahhahha

You have no idea how helpful all these posts are to me and I thank each one of you. I read for awhile without posting... cause I was a little intimidated. But I also thought rookies could be helped by a rookie like me to not feel so intimidated.

Btw.... I learned from YOUZ GUYZ...

Okay, I'm really glad to hear that! I pretend that class is in session everyday, but I never know if anybody is really listening or not. It is nice to see one of our students step up to the top of the class!

Hey Rainy, as a Jersey girl, I know you can appreciate this true story about a Jersey girl who is my friend. I live in Texas, but I had a client when I was in the sign business who was a Jewish lady from New Jersey. She had some commercial properties in Texas and we did signs for her. One time she was down visiting me and she said the following:

"I can't stand these southern women you have down here in Texas. They are all so fake! Whenever you ask them how they are doing it's always Fine, or Wonderful - they never tell you the truth. I love it when I fly back to jersey, I'll get off the plane and the first thing I do is ask someone if they have the time. They will usually respond with "what's the matter lady, can't you buy a damn watch?" That just makes me feel at home!"