Trip Planning Regards To Routes

Today in my orientation. We was told we MUST follow the routes given to us on our QC system when they are given to us. If I find a better legal and safe route to delivery my load would it be in my best interest to go that route. I feel as if the company is trying to put a cap on our miles that way because the given routes will use certain amounts of time on our clock. So if I use my atlas and find a better safe and legal route to take wouldn't it be better. I dnt want to go against company policy. Just looking for direction on this. When the time comes I dnt want to be bugging my DM arguing bout the route given to me

If its company policy to follow their routes, i would highly suggest you follow them.

My company provides a route suggestion which is ok most of the time but sometimes its downright silly. They dont say much as long as we dont go alot more miles and we use their fuel solution.

What company?

I recommend checking every route they give you in your atlas. If you think there is a better, legal way, ask your dm over the Qualcomm if you can take that route.

I work for Swift and they told us something similar in orientation. I have always taken whatever route I thought best (usually however the Qualcomm navigation routes me) and I've never heard a word about it. On a few occasions I know my dm could see I was taking a different route and he still didn't say anything about it. Your company may be different though.

Sam it's primarily about fuel savings. They're not trying to cheat you out of your miles. You will also be evaluated on how often you go out of route. Sometimes it can't be avoided, but I suggest like the other replies to do your best to use their suggested route.

Good luck and be safe.

It is always about fuel savings or avoiding tolls. For example my company advoids the pa turnpike like the plague simply because of cost so there is that. They also like us to run 90/94 through Chicago for the same reason. Now if there is a bad accident in Chicago where they shut down the road or if we have to run out 90 for a stop then we get to use 294. And today my route has me running us 30 to 283 instead of taking the turnpike. If I find a route that really doesn't make sense I call my fuel and route dept and tell them my route and they check it out and usually let me take it.

Ours say "this is only a recommendation, check your atlas for low clearance and width restrictions." Even so, we are supposed to follow the route and their dispatch screen flashes "out of route". However, the washouts are not always on route or the truck stops.

I have yet to be messaged "why are you out of route?". One time I came into AL on a hilly curvy road during the day that took me 2 hours to drive 70 miles. Low speed limits...small towns.

That night my next load told me go to that way. I messaged dispatch " going out of route due to unsafe conditions of that road. Drove it during the day but at night will be treacherous. Here's my new route". After I was driving for TWO hours... I got a message "how many miles will it add". Doesn't matter cause I already bypassed it and was on interstate hahah.

As mentioned its about the fuel, and also the fueling stations. They have sent me on certain routes just for cheaper fuel stops.

Another reason besides fuel economy is driver safety. Think about it..we rarely talk to dispatch. If we go out of route the truck could be stolen and we could be in danger. Staying in route shows we are OK.

I usually send a message " going out of route due to road closure....accident so going out of route...construction.." Etc.

Its not about limiting our miles cause we are not paid by actual mile but zip code to zip code miles....which I have found to be about 10% different. When they send the load it will say "empty miles and loaded miles" if you drive more, you still only get paid for those listed on the load.

Ok so in this situation would it cause for not trip planning at all?? I'm saying if I have to follow the Qualcomm directions exactly would I even need to pull out a map book?

Ok so in this situation would it cause for not trip planning at all?? I'm saying if I have to follow the Qualcomm directions exactly would I even need to pull out a map book?

Hey T...unless I am familiar with the route I always "check" what the QC is telling me using the RM truckers atlas.

May trucking company They dnt gps on the Qualcomm. Always gonna check my routes thru my atlas. Just wondering best thing to do. Guess I'll keep in contact with DM If I find a better route

What company?

I recommend checking every route they give you in your atlas. If you think there is a better, legal way, ask your dm over the Qualcomm if you can take that route.

I work for Swift and they told us something similar in orientation. I have always taken whatever route I thought best (usually however the Qualcomm navigation routes me) and I've never heard a word about it. On a few occasions I know my dm could see I was taking a different route and he still didn't say anything about it. Your company may be different though.

Ok so in this situation would it cause for not trip planning at all?? I'm saying if I have to follow the Qualcomm directions exactly would I even need to pull out a map book?

Always use the Atlas. I was routed through Memphis twice and twice they sent me a route where the roads did not connect. Pretty sure its I55 to US 78...but when you drive it you have to get on I240 (I think) to get from one to the other. The first time I stayed on 55 waiting for 78 that never came. I thought I missed the sign. The next time I went I was really careful looking for signs...same thing. Its hard there even on the atlas cause so.many roads converge it is hard to tell which road is which. Now I know and go my way for about 20 miles or something in that area hahahah.

Also some of the routes are old. I stupidly didn't look at the map cause I was in a hurry and the routes all seemed good.,.interstate and US routes. Then I get to a sign "no trucks new bridge weight limit". A new bridge was put in and it was listed as a weight limit in my Atlas...which i didn't check...but the computer route must have been old.