Driving Long Runs Safely

[21cExp]

Wondering what formula other solo van drivers use for figuring time needed to do long runs safely in expediting. I realize straight trucks and larger have to log, though am interested in what van and Sprinter drivers use.

I'm not really looking for advice on what I should do; I know what I'm comfortable with. Im interested in what others have found to be their own comfortable limits. Not interested in wild stories of driving cross country in amazing times, or "my best time ever" stories. I'd like to know what solo long distance drivers feel comfortable with on a regular, week in, week out, basis.

It's my understanding, from talking to team drivers for different outfits, that their carriers usually bid runs over 700 miles at 47-50mph, depending on whether its all interstate or not and other factors. One team said their dispatch regularly figures 42mph for them for all runs over 700mi.

Whether 42, 47, or 50, it is to allow the truck to roll continuously but includes time for fuel and pit stops, wrong turns, non-Interstate speeds on two-lanes, and other typical delays.

If driving solo, though, it's stupidly dangerous, in my opinion, to try and do it in the same time expected for a team. I haven't heard much of any regular formula used in expediting for solo long distance runs. I know many larger carriers won't let their solo drivers do more than 700mi without swapping out. I'm assuming that's because over time they've learned there are too many drivers who think they can do it in the time typically given teams, then have problems. Late loads, accidents, abandoned loads, and yeah, too many drivers killed.

Others build in enough time over what a team would do and bid it that way so it's safe to do solo. If accepted, cool.

I'm more than happy to do long loads, and prefer them, actually. At present I ask those runs be bid at 42mph from shipper.

As example, rounded off to 1/4hrs:
1,000mi @ 50mph = 20hrs
1,000mi @ 47mph = 21hrs 15mins
1,000mi @ 42mph = 23hrs 45mins

That extra time, if accepted by the customer, can make a huge difference in rest time and delivering safely within the time stated in the travel order.

What do you ask for, time-wise, on an everyday basis for runs over 700mi, and what does your carrier typically ask you to do it in?

 

[purgoose10]

A couple of tips from 40+ yrs.

Don't stop at every other truck stop. You don't have to speed to make time, but you do have to keep moving.

When you do stop, get your business done and get out. Don't sit there and spread rumors or start rumors or medal in other peoples business. If you can't say something good about someone or the company don't say anything at all. If you need someone to talk to get a dog.

When your done your done, get some sleep. The most precious thing available for any truck driver.

I used to say "Thanks for the load", when talking to dispatch. They actually remember small kind words. Why does this help with moving a load. When they like you or think your doing a good job you may have a better paying load than John Brown parked next to you. A good paying load actually gets your blood pumping more than that cheap load.

Maybe that will help somewhat.

 

[Murraycroexp]

Promise to drop in whatever time 50 MPH figures to, or less. That ALWAYS allows me time for 2-3 hour naps, extra fuel stops just to get out Nd get the brain blood moving, and extra rest stops to get rid of all the coffee I drink on the 1000+ mile loads. It always works as a safe formula. I cannot chance crashing and losing it ALL. It's just not worth it.

 

[21cExp]

A couple of tips from 40+ yrs.
...
Maybe that will help somewhat.

Thanks purgoose; I do those things already and agree with them all, having been a distance driver for ages too, and appreciate you listing them here for others to see as well.

What I'm hoping develops in this thread are what different solo drivers use for deciding whether to accept a long distance load or not and what their carriers typically expect of them in long runs, time-wise.

 

[jjoerger]

As example, rounded off to 1/4hrs:
1,000mi @ 50mph = 20hrs
1,000mi @ 47mph = 21hrs 15mins
1,000mi @ 42mph = 23hrs 45mins

You need to add 10 hours to the first two times if logging.
And 20 hours to the last one.

 

[21cExp]

Promise to drop in whatever time 50 MPH figures to, or less. That ALWAYS allows me time for 2-3 hour naps, extra fuel stops just to get out Nd get the brain blood moving, and extra rest stops to get rid of all the coffee I drink on the 1000+ mile loads. It always works as a safe formula. I cannot chance crashing and losing it ALL. It's just not worth it.

That's what is figured for teams, most times, with the truck rolling steadily for the entire time while one driver sleeps. On most of the long runs I've done of late, that amount of time is not safe to do solo, because they have been far from all interstate miles and have included long distances on two-lane roads going through tons of small towns into northern Quebec or Saskatchewan, even fairly long distances in on gravel or dirt roads at times.

Appreciate the reply.

 

[21cExp]

You need to add 10 hours to the first two times if logging.
And 20 hours to the last one.

In a CV and don't have to log, but I appreciate the reply. I'll amend my original post to reflect it. Thanks!

 

[Murraycroexp]

Yeah, I don't factor gravel roads in trips. The only gravel I ever see I'd driveways and parking lots.
My determination of bidding on my loads or not has much to do with making sure the broker posted safe transit/protect time, how much time is my deadhead adding and it's factor on available nap time & how much is it going to cost me to drive back out of that freight black hole once I dropped.
But bidding on loads has as much to do with the load I just dropped. Have I slept enough. How much if the transit is daylight, rain, snow, etc.
Am I rested enough to safely run this??

 

[moose]

. If you need someone to talk to get a dog.

when i first moved to Minnesota, i won one of those HUGE bears in the MOA. soon enough he was strapped into the jump seat. works very well. and when he disagreed with me i could punch the hell out of him without getting arrested. actually once he was so bad, i took a knife & turn him open. i then left him in the dumpster.
you simply can't do that to a dog{or a dispatcher for that matters}(well not for the dog anyway...)

 

[Moot]

Panther has a 16 hour rule. No driving after 16 hours without a 5 hour break. I understand their reasoning for this rule but sometimes it works against the driver and prevents him or her from taking a couple hour nap and still delivering on time.

I have accepted 700 mile+ loads that picked up at 15:00 and delivered the next morning at 09:00. Plenty of time, right? Let's say the load is 90 miles away. The prudent thing to do is allow at least 2 hours to get to the shipper. So, if you leave at 13:00 your clock starts and your 16 hours is up at 05:00. You get to the shipper and there is a slight delay. You don't get loaded and rolling until 15:45. You hit some rush hour traffic and lose another ½ hour. Still no problem making the 09:00 delivery time, with time to take a nap. But, you have to push it to comply with Panther's 16 hour rule and make it to the consignee by 06:00, only to wait until 09:00 for them to open.

One could aslo run a short load and then get offered a longer run, before taking 5 hours off. The longer run can not be completed on time with your remaining hours. You accept the load and make the pickup. Somewhere along the way safety contacts you on the QC telling you, you must take a 5 hour break by 02:00. No way you can take 5 and make the scheduled delivery time. Later dispatch calls all bent out of shape because you took this load. This has happened to me more than once. They want to know why I would accept a load I didn't have time to run. My standard reply is: "Why was it offered to me?" If I refuse it, I get dinged with a refusal and have to do the phone thing to try and get it removed. It's easier to take it and swap. They tend to forget or maybe dispatch is unaware of the disclaimer on the load receipt after accepting a load.

Load may require a swap based on
meeting customer needs and to ensure
compliance with FMCSA regulations.
Rates will be changed accordingly.
Please contact dispatch with any
discrepancies. Please be safe.

 

[TruckingSurv]

Don't stop at every other truck stop. You don't have to speed to make time, but you do have to keep moving.

Keeping moving is the best way! Running 58-62 MPH in the slow lane, I will have the same vehicle pass me 2-3 times in a day when out on the big road. Sometimes they pass you even on the second day, racing from exit to exit isn't any faster than slowing down and keeping at it, saves on nerves, tickets, and fuel and in the end doesn't take much longer if at all

On topic, 500-700 miles is going to be it in a 24 hour day for a solo, especially if logging and taking that now required 30 minute break!

I have done as much as 2600 miles in four days BUT wasn't logging, averaged right at 650 miles a day (but three of the days were closer to 600 miles with one day around 800). I don't think I would want to push more than that, about all I felt safe doing solo, logging or not. 50 MPH is a good solid number to use, but you can't stop more than just for a couple short stops if you want to make your miles. For trip planning the 42-50 MPH range is probably a safer bet.

TS

 

[21cExp]

when i first moved to Minnesota, i won one of those HUGE bears in the MOA. soon enough he was strapped into the jump seat. works very well. and when he disagreed with me i could punch the hell out of him without getting arrested. actually once he was so bad, i took a knife & turn him open. i then left him in the dumpster.
you simply can't do that to a dog{or a dispatcher for that matters}(well not for the dog anyway...)

So thats how doing long runs affects you, eh? Moose, I'm beginning to worry about you ...

 

[cheri1122]

So thats how doing long runs affects you, eh? Moose, I'm beginning to worry about you ...

Not to worry, 21 - he may be a little feller, but he's a tough little feller.

 

[21cExp]

Panther has a 16 hour rule. No driving after 16 hours without a 5 hour break. I understand their reasoning for this rule but sometimes it works against the driver and prevents him or her from taking a couple hour nap and still delivering on time.

I have accepted 700 mile+ loads that picked up at 15:00 and delivered the next morning at 09:00. Plenty of time, right? Let's say the load is 90 miles away. The prudent thing to do is allow at least 2 hours to get to the shipper. So, if you leave at 13:00 your clock starts and your 16 hours is up at 05:00. You get to the shipper and there is a slight delay. You don't get loaded and rolling until 15:45. You hit some rush hour traffic and lose another ½ hour. Still no problem making the 09:00 delivery time, with time to take a nap. But, you have to push it to comply with Panther's 16 hour rule and make it to the consignee by 06:00, only to wait until 09:00 for them to open.

One could aslo run a short load and then get offered a longer run, before taking 5 hours off. The longer run can not be completed on time with your remaining hours. You accept the load and make the pickup. Somewhere along the way safety contacts you on the QC telling you, you must take a 5 hour break by 02:00. No way you can take 5 and make the scheduled delivery time. Later dispatch calls all bent out of shape because you took this load. This has happened to me more than once. They want to know why I would accept a load I didn't have time to run. My standard reply is: "Why was it offered to me?" If I refuse it, I get dinged with a refusal and have to do the phone thing to try and get it removed. It's easier to take it and swap. They tend to forget or maybe dispatch is unaware of the disclaimer on the load receipt after accepting a load.

Load may require a swap based on
meeting customer needs and to ensure
compliance with FMCSA regulations.
Rates will be changed accordingly.
Please contact dispatch with any
discrepancies. Please be safe.

Wow, Moot. I can understand the reasoning too, and why rules are in place and Safety tells you to stop, but man, there are so many times and ways that would feel overly restrictive and sometimes actually work against a driver being safe. Like pushing harder to get there before the 16hrs runs out, when there is time left to do it at a more reasonable speed.

As I wrote in my original post, those kind of rules seem to be in place because others have abused safe practices in the past, making it more difficult now for safe drivers to perform and earn.

I know there are advantages in being leased to larger carriers, but there are too many stories that often make me glad I'm not.

 

[21cExp]

So thats how doing long runs affects you, eh? Moose, I'm beginning to worry about you ...

Not to worry, 21 - he may be a little feller, but he's a tough little feller.

Heh, a lot of us are tough little fellers, but, uhhh...

 

[zorry]

I imagine you all heard about the vanner that lost it, stabbed his girlfriend, threw her out of the van, and raced out of the Flying J in Effingham two years ago.

It all ended well. A Swift driver picked her up, cleaned her up, taped her up, and blew her up.

They lived happily ever after.

 

[21cExp]

Keeping moving is the best way! Running 58-62 MPH in the slow lane, I will have the same vehicle pass me 2-3 times in a day when out on the big road. Sometimes they pass you even on the second day, racing from exit to exit isn't any faster than slowing down and keeping at it, saves on nerves, tickets, and fuel and in the end doesn't take much longer if at all

TS

Couldn't agree more and is often the way I drive, especially later at night or closer to the end of long runs and tired. It's often been the way long road rally drivers win, by being steady as she goes and not racing hard.

I see a lot of the same drivers hopscotching past, popping on and off the big road like a ping pong ball, only to still be behind me several hundred miles down the road.

But when you end up with short time for a long run and have some serious delays with miles long blacktopping operations or bridge replacements (or like my 1100mile run started the other day, with three interstate exits closed in a row, forcing a lengthy detour just to get to the shipper), it can seriously mess with available rest time left in the run.

 

[21cExp]

...

On topic, 500-700 miles is going to be it in a 24 hour day for a solo, especially if logging and taking that now required 30 minute break!

I have done as much as 2600 miles in four days BUT wasn't logging, averaged right at 650 miles a day (but three of the days were closer to 600 miles with one day around 800). I don't think I would want to push more than that, about all I felt safe doing solo, logging or not. 50 MPH is a good solid number to use, but you can't stop more than just for a couple short stops if you want to make your miles. For trip planning the 42-50 MPH range is probably a safer bet.

TS

Thanks for coming back and adding more...I agree with it all. That's much more in my line of thinking when it comes to safely driving long runs than to consistently run 3-4 mph more than the speed limit.