PackRat's 2020 Daily Driving Diary
Topic 27353 | Page 26
Hey PackRat, great diary! It has been awesome following your story this year and seeing what it’s been like out there. Your diary has been a great resource for trip planning ideas/practice. And it’s nice seeing the ups and downs of the road too.
I have been curious to know if the longer than usual delivery windows you seem to be experiencing are the norm or something new due to the changing Covid environment? Seems like you always have way more time than needed for delivery. Not that it would be a problem but if a customer won’t take you early it certainly can hurt the pocket. And is waiting for a new load assignment the normal for most companies or just your particular company/running environment?
About to test to get my CDL then getting into the life finally for the start to a hopefully long career! Keep the diary going so we can travel along and learn!
Thanks, Smackerman
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
31 October-Halloween
I have been negligent. AGAIN! Busy, busy, busy will be my excuse.
My numbers for October 2020:
Days Away From Home This Month: 31 (44 days total)
Days Driving: 28
I had one 34 hour reset in Boise, ID. I arrived on a Saturday, then the delivery was not until Monday. I had another reset plus at the terminal in KC, MO. I was there for a grease job when the carrier bearing was discovered to be worn out. Three days later, part arrives, installed, and on my way.
Dispatched Miles: 11,826
Hours Driving: 209.9
Average Miles Per Day: 422
MPH Average: 56.3
Fuel Used: 1480 gallons
Monthly MPG: 7.99 Real numbers; not off the dashboard.
Net Pay: $5943.75
Loads This Month: 15
Shortest Trip: 6 miles! Scaled a trailer that was way overweight, then returned it to the yard. GVW was 80,770! Not hauling that one. I was paid $65 for that one. I also made $20 for driving an abandoned truck and trailer from a truck stop back to the terminal one day while waiting. Some former driver quit and left it at a truck stop 15 miles from the terminal.
Longest Trip: 1967 miles. Madras, OR to Pella, IA.
First winter weather encountered this week (25-27th). Winds in New Mexico, plus snow and ice in NM, TX, and OK. I shut down three times but still delivered on time. I'm still 100% on time pick up and delivery for almost five years. YAY ME!
Lowest/Highest Temperatures: 18/88 degrees.
The current load I'm hauling is only 20,500 lbs of insulation from Indiana to El Paso, with a delivery on 11/2 at 0800. 552 miles to the consignee from Elk City, OK where I am parked tonight.
Still waiting for the Trick Or Treat'ers to stop by.....?
Consignee:
The customer the freight is being delivered to. Also referred to as "the receiver". The shipper is the customer that is shipping the goods, the consignee is the customer receiving the goods.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
31 October-Halloween
I have been negligent. AGAIN! Busy, busy, busy will be my excuse.
My numbers for October 2020:
Days Away From Home This Month: 31 (44 days total)
Days Driving: 28
I had one 34 hour reset in Boise, ID. I arrived on a Saturday, then the delivery was not until Monday. I had another reset plus at the terminal in KC, MO. I was there for a grease job when the carrier bearing was discovered to be worn out. Three days later, part arrives, installed, and on my way.
Dispatched Miles: 11,826
Hours Driving: 209.9
Average Miles Per Day: 422
MPH Average: 56.3
Fuel Used: 1480 gallons
Monthly MPG: 7.99 Real numbers; not off the dashboard.
Net Pay: $5943.75
Loads This Month: 15
Shortest Trip: 6 miles! Scaled a trailer that was way overweight, then returned it to the yard. GVW was 80,770! Not hauling that one. I was paid $65 for that one. I also made $20 for driving an abandoned truck and trailer from a truck stop back to the terminal one day while waiting. Some former driver quit and left it at a truck stop 15 miles from the terminal.
Longest Trip: 1967 miles. Madras, OR to Pella, IA.
First winter weather encountered this week (25-27th). Winds in New Mexico, plus snow and ice in NM, TX, and OK. I shut down three times but still delivered on time. I'm still 100% on time pick up and delivery for almost five years. YAY ME!
Lowest/Highest Temperatures: 18/88 degrees.
The current load I'm hauling is only 20,500 lbs of insulation from Indiana to El Paso, with a delivery on 11/2 at 0800. 552 miles to the consignee from Elk City, OK where I am parked tonight.
Still waiting for the Trick Or Treat'ers to stop by.....?
Great Update PackRat.
Nice numbers.
Consignee:
The customer the freight is being delivered to. Also referred to as "the receiver". The shipper is the customer that is shipping the goods, the consignee is the customer receiving the goods.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
31 October-Halloween
I have been negligent. AGAIN! Busy, busy, busy will be my excuse.
My numbers for October 2020:
Days Away From Home This Month: 31 (44 days total)
Days Driving: 28
I had one 34 hour reset in Boise, ID. I arrived on a Saturday, then the delivery was not until Monday. I had another reset plus at the terminal in KC, MO. I was there for a grease job when the carrier bearing was discovered to be worn out. Three days later, part arrives, installed, and on my way.
Dispatched Miles: 11,826
Hours Driving: 209.9
Average Miles Per Day: 422
MPH Average: 56.3
Fuel Used: 1480 gallons
Monthly MPG: 7.99 Real numbers; not off the dashboard.
Net Pay: $5943.75
Loads This Month: 15
Shortest Trip: 6 miles! Scaled a trailer that was way overweight, then returned it to the yard. GVW was 80,770! Not hauling that one. I was paid $65 for that one. I also made $20 for driving an abandoned truck and trailer from a truck stop back to the terminal one day while waiting. Some former driver quit and left it at a truck stop 15 miles from the terminal.
Longest Trip: 1967 miles. Madras, OR to Pella, IA.
First winter weather encountered this week (25-27th). Winds in New Mexico, plus snow and ice in NM, TX, and OK. I shut down three times but still delivered on time. I'm still 100% on time pick up and delivery for almost five years. YAY ME!
Lowest/Highest Temperatures: 18/88 degrees.
The current load I'm hauling is only 20,500 lbs of insulation from Indiana to El Paso, with a delivery on 11/2 at 0800. 552 miles to the consignee from Elk City, OK where I am parked tonight.
Still waiting for the Trick Or Treat'ers to stop by.....?
We got very little trick or treaters this year. It was disappointing. We normally get between 75-100, but this year we only got about 15.
Great numbers, Packrat. Short trips pay too, especially if you're sitting around waiting.
Consignee:
The customer the freight is being delivered to. Also referred to as "the receiver". The shipper is the customer that is shipping the goods, the consignee is the customer receiving the goods.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
SAP:
Substance Abuse Professional
The Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) is a person who evaluates employees who have violated a DOT drug and alcohol program regulation and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.
1-2 Nov 2020
I had no Tick or Treat'ers in the WM parking lot at Elk City, OK the other night.
Nothing major to report on for these two days. I delivered the insulation in EL Paso, TX yesterday morning, then drove three miles to get loaded with 21,000 lbs of plastic pool parts. This one is a drop, 1676 miles distant, at a WM DC in Grove City, OH10 ASAP.
I did take some great photos though, so check out the Postcards From The Road thread...
SAP:
Substance Abuse Professional
The Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) is a person who evaluates employees who have violated a DOT drug and alcohol program regulation and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.
I had no Tick or Treat'ers in the WM parking lot at Elk City, OK the other night.
That's no fun! I've heard some people like to turn tricks into treats.
When you get a load like that does it affect the way you run? You've mentioned you prefer to run recaps so you keep your hours relatively consistent. Will this walmart run have you pushing closer to your 11 drive clock?
Most of the WM loads I've had at Crete have big delivery windows. This one is from 0001 on 5 NOV until 1100 on 6 NOV. I have 1676 miles to drive in about four days, so I'll go easy on this, doing about 450-500 each day, then deliver early on 6 NOV. I'll use about eight hours each day, then save up the extra for later on.
Yesterday, I had a live unload, then a live load which eats into the 14 hour clock. Then I had a sick headache, so I only drove 238 miles for Monday in 5.5 hours. Not big numbers, but I'm still ahead of schedule. The time I didn't use yesterday I have in the bank this week, BUT I'll have a short day coming back in eight days.
Now, I could push and do it in three days (or two days like Laura!), but that would really short me on hours next week.
It's all a balancing act. A 12,000 mile month is good for me, so all I need is 445 miles a day (assuming I take off four days each month). I usually don't take hometime each month, though. For this quarter the company is adding a bunch of incentives, plus the pay raise last month....I'm only planning to take four days off thru the end of 2020. Get the money now because the first quarter is always the slowest. The election results could potentially change things forever...
Long-winded, but does this clarify it at all???
DAC:
Drive-A-Check Report
A truck drivers DAC report will contain detailed information about their job history of the last 10 years as a CDL driver (as required by the DOT).
It may also contain your criminal history, drug test results, DOT infractions and accident history. The program is strictly voluntary from a company standpoint, but most of the medium-to-large carriers will participate.
Most trucking companies use DAC reports as part of their hiring and background check process. It is extremely important that drivers verify that the information contained in it is correct, and have it fixed if it's not.
So, rookie question-- Could someone explain about "running recaps" and how they affect things so much? --E.Z.
So, rookie question-- Could someone explain about "running recaps" and how they affect things so much? --E.Z.
I will address this later today.
Too early now from Oklahoma.
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Love following your diary PackRat. I read the whole thing at one time. We missed you there for a while but glad your back. Figured you were just busy. I’m still in ready to get my CDL’s and get started mode. Something I’ve always wanted to do. After all, I have 4 uncles all truck drivers and my mother is retired from “Yes” the MCCD. I’m sure some of you guys my have met her before. She was out there 22 years. So, trucking is just in my system and one of those things I’ve got to do for myself. I’ve always loved to drive and travel. I travel a lot for work now. Just in a pickup truck though. Hell, I Drove 13 hours today from Columbus Ohio to Valdosta Georgia. Drove up there on Monday. So, one day here soon I hope, I’ll be out there with you guys. AND gals. Keep up diary packrat. I’m really learning a lot from it. Puts it all in perspective. Be safe out there man.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated