Trick Drivers Running Nights

I just finished a 2000 mile load that I did in just over 3 days. Tomorrow I will finish an 1100 mile load. In just over 2 days. How is that loosing time and money? 3000 miles in under 6 days.

Joe, that is a good strong week that any driver would be proud of. Keep that up and you will be well on your way to being established and known by your dispatcher as a guy who can "git er done"

There are a thousand reasons why our miles will vary or fluctuate, but the main thing we can do to help keep them consistent is to continually prove ourselves by being productive, and keeping ourselves available as best we can.

First you say.........

Anytime I am actually working, I am on duty. Counting the pallets as they are loaded. Getting scaled at a truck stop. Etc.

Yeah, you can call it wasting time or losing money but if you are ever caught, you will pay the price.

I didn't used to do that. I used to do almost everything while I was "off duty" until a few months ago.

Then you say......

In none of my posts have I mentioned how I log things.

um......yes you did.

First you say.......

A driver, still has to decide what is best for them. But no matter how they would LIKE to run, there are laws that are suppose to be followed.

Then you say.....

Am I perfect and always follow the rules/laws. Heck no.

...and.....

Laws are there for a reason. We may not like them and wish we didn't have to follow them, but we are no different than anyone else.

Baffling.

It's incredible that all of those contradictory statements came from one person. It's even more amazing they came all at one time in one long thought stream.

Did you tell us how you log things? Yes. Did you then follow up by denying that? Yes.

Did you say rules need to be followed and that you follow them? Yes. Did you then say it's up to each driver to make up their mind and that you do not follow them? Yes.

I think you need more sleep or something. Walter Payton didn't change direction that often.

Silly question regarding one of the things Joe mentioned. He said he logged 15 min on duty to air the trailer tires but it took an hour. What would be the best way to account for that time so a person isn't throwing away that other 45 minutes? Some people might just think, eh it's 45 minutes but when I'm on the clock, I see $$ for every bit of positive and negative amount of time effecting my day.

Excuse me Brett. I stand corrected. Yes I did mention how I long things. I am sorry, I used the wrong wording.

I should have said, I never mentioned what times I used when I log items on my log.

And yes. You caught me again about following the laws. I should have said, I am not perfect. I bend the rules from time to time. Maybe I don't follow them fully, but I try to work my clock to my benefit without totally ignoring the law.

I didn't know that this website had become an english class and english lit. From now on before I post anything, I will make sure I put it in a way that everyone can understand.

I won't make the mistake and "assume" that people can understand a point I am trying to make.

I do appoligize for this outragious mistake.

Keep it safe out here. The life you save might be you own.

I mean, watch you speed, don't take chances by running "too" illegal. Watch all othe drivers. Watch out for danger. Make sure you get plenty of rest. Just be safe in everything you do.

I hope that doesn't confuse anyone.

The Blue Angel

From now on before I post anything, I will make sure I put it in a way that everyone can understand.

You could start by not contradicting yourself five times in 10 sentences. I said something because you got all snippy with Daniel when his response was quite helpful and based on exactly what you had said. You then not only denied saying it, making it sound like Daniel was being a jerk, but then you started going on about how rules are there for a reason but that its ok for you break them anyhow.

I mean.......

Temporarily suspending my posting boycot to say... It seems more than a little irresponsible for the resident experts of a website geared towards those new to truck driving to advise pushing the limits of the law and their abilities. Getting saddled with a stiff fine or worse early in ones career ... Not a good way to start. The company I am going to work for expects me to "git er done" within the limits of safe and legal - sorry yours don't (or didn't).

Indy, I don't think anyone suggested running illegally. Old School gave an example of how he will run on occasion but the majority of the advice is how to maximize your day and how simple adjustments can be made to where a person isn't running outside of there comfort zone but at least entertaining the idea of how to make some adaptations to get more miles and in turn make better money. I know there are enough veterans here who could put up the longest thread ever on how to run outlaw paper logs but that simply isn't going to happen. It's like a couple people suggested, you may not like running nights because of sleep issues and the like but what if you started your day a bit earlier to avoid traffic, open scales etc to get more miles in on your clock. As you know, this profession is about efficiency and any time you can learn a little here or there to become better is of a huge benefit to you as the driver.

Temporarily suspending my posting boycot to say... It seems more than a little irresponsible for the resident experts of a website geared towards those new to truck driving to advise pushing the limits of the law and their abilities. Getting saddled with a stiff fine or worse early in ones career ... Not a good way to start. The company I am going to work for expects me to "git er done" within the limits of safe and legal - sorry yours don't (or didn't).

No body is running illegal. None of us are driving past our limits. And apparently Joe is no different than us because he said he does bend the rules too.

Also, Joe is no rookie. We are not telling a greenhorn to break the law.

However, there are ways to maximize your income and that's what we're all about.

Daniel, I deeply appoligize if what I said came across snippy. That was not my intention.

The post started going down a path that was never my intention. I started it with the intention of running nights and talikng about that.

Then it headed way off track and things were being assumed that were not actually mentioned.

I wanted to clear the air and get things back in line. I am sorry if it was snippy.

In a couple of the posts, I was trying to politely say what Indy said in his post. This should be a site to help new truckers get a good start in this lifestyle. Not to teach how to break the law and get fined or loose their license right off the bat.

Old School, Daniel, Brett and many others here have learned the ropes because they have been out here a while. They know what they can do and not do only because of experience. New comers don't. They can't "hide" things yet. One day they will, but not right out of school and in their first truck.

Again Daniel, I appoligize. But this post was going down a path that I felt it shouldn't have gone down.

Some will say that is not my call. I say yes it is because I started it.

Keep it safe out here. The life you save might be a loved one.

The Blue Angel.

Joe do what is safe above all else. If you start getting to tired pull over and sleep. I often get 80 hours of work crammed into 6 days then take 48 hours for RR. All this without ever driving the dredded 1-4am nights. Nothing is worth falling asleep behind a 40 ton death machine. Take your time and push yourself slowly. It's OK if a load does not get in because of sleep issues, this is trucking after all. If all else fails remember Congress has mandated that a trucker has the right to sleep whenever he wants.