My Prime Upgrade / First Month Solo Experience

PS correction. My 70h clock for 6/8 is 10:07; not 8:07.

This will allow me to drive about 350 miles tomorrow in 7 hours, rolling over the saved available hours to 6/9 to drive about 220 miles to try to get unloaded early. There is parking onsite.

6/8/22 - Day 27 Solo

I started driving at 06:28 CDT and arrived at my customer at 06:43.

I made a dumb wrong turn out of the truck stop and had to get turned around.

I completed the D&H and my paperwork. Took nearly 20 mins to get a “live load” call through to dispatch before I could depart.

Depart at 07:41 CDT.

Both the NaviGo and Rand GPS wanted to take me on I-24W to I-440W to I-40W at Nashville. No way I was going back to Nashville at 08:00 traffic.

So I went on I-24E towards Murfreesboro to catch I-840W to I-40W. Added about 23 extra miles, but it was worth it!

I stopped at 10:46 for a 16m break, then drove on until 13:52 CDT, when I arrived at the Love’s at I-40 Ext 233 in Palestine, AR.

This is a very busy, congested truck stop that does not have a laundry. I was all set to wash clothes today.

Went through 3 major traffic slowdowns on I-40W. Two were caused by serious accidents on I-40E, with westbound drivers slowing down to look as they passed! This drives me nuts. The traffic backup behind them is creating a serious hazard.

The third slowdown was for a work crew with weed eaters cutting grass on sides of the highway.

I drove 305 miles today in 6h10m for avg speed of 49.5 mph.

I’m 273 miles to my fuel stop in Springdale, AR and 290 miles from my delivery customer in Rogers, AR.

The customer opens at 07:00 CDT for deliveries. I’m allowing 6 hours to get there including the fuel stop.

I’ll start driving again between 01:00-02:00 on 6/9/22.

This is a live unload. The customer has onsite parking.

I suspect the next trip assignment will be to pickup a load in this area or Joplin to take to Springfield Terminal to drop off to be re-powered.

6/9/22 - Day 28 Solo

I started driving at 01:38 CDT and arrived at my receiving customer at 07:31 CDT. Total trip time of 5h 53m includes a fuel stop.

Drove 295 miles in 5h 27m = 54.1 mph avg.

I’m checked in and waiting to be called to a door to dock for live unload. It is now 08:04 CDT.

6/9/22 continues

Docked since 08:45 CDT being unloaded.

Just received message from my FM to deadhead to Prime1 after my 90 completed for my home time.

It’s about 132 miles from here to Prime Inc terminal in Springfield.

6/9/22 continues

Docked since 08:45 CDT being unloaded.

Just received message from my FM to deadhead to Prime1 after my 90 completed for my home time.

It’s about 132 miles from here to Prime Inc terminal in Springfield.

Awesome! Home time awaits ~

Are you leaving the rig in Sprimo for home time? How will you commute back & forth?

~ Anne ~

My car is parked at Prime. For now the truck stays at Prime1.

I’ll have a 6 hrs drive home this afternoon. I’ll return to work on 6/14/22.

I’ll post a final summary later tonight after my payroll stub comes in.

Yup, it is getting close to the end. Will feel weird not posting a daily diary. I will be keeping up my daily journal, though.

My car is parked at Prime. For now the truck stays at Prime1.

I’ll have a 6 hrs drive home this afternoon. I’ll return to work on 6/14/22.

I’ll post a final summary later tonight after my payroll stub comes in.

Yup, it is getting close to the end. Will feel weird not posting a daily diary. I will be keeping up my daily journal, though.

Oh, nice! Didn't know they let y'all DO that!!!

Wow, long drive home, sheesh. Driving back on the 14th, or having wife take ya?

I'll await your 'final' summary, but IMHO, you really SHOULD do a "Phase Two / Prime Upgrade" upon return to Sprimo!!

Even if it's more of an 'abbreviated' version, it'd be awesome!!!

Enjoy your hometime, man. So MANY people will gain SO much, from this diary!! I've mentioned it to a few pals on Fb, too 'shy' to sign up to the forum; reading with passion, though!!!! One of the best! This one & the other.. for sure.

TYSM,

Enjoy, and be SAFE!

~ Anne ~

6/9/22 - Day 28 Solo wrap up

I was unloaded at 09:57 and departed for Springfield at 10:17 CDT.

Arrived at Prime1 at 12:50 CDT after 137 miles.

I had noted the left front trailer tire had some deep cuts in it. The tire was replaced during the inbound trailer inspection. I dropped the empty trailer.

I was then able to bobtail to the Security parking lot where my car was parked. I’ll leave the truck in the same parking lot while home. Made it easy.

I made it home about 9:45pm CDT. I’ll return to the truck on 6/14/22.

This first month solo has been challenging and fun. Also tiring the last few days. In some respects, I can’t believe that I actually did it!

I hope that this journey has been interesting and helpful to those who rode along with me in this diary.

I’ll close out with some summary information.

And that’s a wrap for this diary. Be safe out there and maybe we’ll meet up somewhere least expected.

Awesome numbers! Awesome diary, Dennis!

Thank you SO much for sharing your journey along WITH us!

This will be a priceless insight, for those hoping to follow in your path. I'm sure Brett is grateful for your sharing, as well!

Don't be a stranger, you'd be too wholly missed; stop in !! Enjoy home, too!

~ Anne ~

6/7/22 continues

The load I delivered this morning will be last completed trip for my Week 4 paycheck.

My paid miles for Week 4 (7 days driving, 4 completed trips) will be 2,415.

My total paid miles from 5/13 to 6/7 (26 days), 4 paychecks is 9,640 miles. My actual odometer miles are 10,582 miles. The ratio of actual to paid miles is 1.1.

I drove 942 more miles than I’m paid. I don’t know what is typical.

I’ll watch this metric to try to reduce the ratio. I’m mostly following the recommended “fuel” routes that I’m dispatched. There have been some extra miles to get loads reworked by the shipper in Reed City, MI plus my getting lost a few times.

I think most of the difference is household goods miles zip code to zip code vs odometer miles address to address.

I don't know how Prime actually calculates paid miles, but, EVERY trip that I've run, the paid miles are short of the actual miles. You mentioned household goods miles, which is what Prime uses and is supposed to be the distance between the nearest post offices within the zip code. The problem with this theory is that when I've picked up and delivered in small towns, but never passed the post offices on each end (i.e. I drove less than the distances between the two post offices), my paid mileage is still shorter than driven miles. The only way that I can see Prime calculating the mileage is that they calculate zip code to zip code, but only to the closest edge between the zip codes.