Solo Drivers

[TeamCaffee]

We have friends who have done this for a long time and have mastered learning how to sleep and get the job done safely. As a team this is something that we do not struggle with as we have our set times to drive.

Can any of you solo guys give hints to new people on how to learn how to handle running solo?

 

[Desperado]

learn to take naps during your off time

 

[Tennesseahawk]

learn to take naps during your off time

Bingo! That's the big thing... taking naps.

Another would be to pace yourself for a nap, if necessary.

 

[Steady Eddie]

#1- Stay away from power drinks

Like Des,. said take naps, sleep every chance you get. If there is time for the long runs, I take a nap whenever I can. A 2 hour power nap refreshes ya, and no problems later on.

However, after all this and you are still sleepy....S T O P!

 

[MR.SNAPPY]

Lease on to a smaller company that does not have a lot of teams..
sleep management is a key, get your sleep when not on a load.
try to stay in the freight lanes as deadheading back to good areas with take away from your drive time.
I was with a large carrier for my first 6 years and did not do bad. I just could not compete with the team trucks any more.
moved to a different carrier late last summer and have never been happier..

 

[greg334]

Simple, don't take runs late in the day if you can't sleep in hotel style settings or become disciplined enough to put sleep and safety first.

Many don't get the sleep thing, a lot think it is easy to nap but maybe their bodies don't nap well. Sometimes the 20 minute espresso nap will work one day but not the other. The same goes for the two hour power nap and other sleep 'helpers' but nothing replaces a good sleep regardless what the cowboys say.

 

[purgoose10]

I have driven trucks for over 40yrs. Of that time probably 80% driven at night. I prefer to drive at night. As soon after my load is dropped, I hit the rack and sleep until slept out or another words as long as I can. I know this is not possible all the time but if you drive mostly at night you had better get sleep or time will tell and it will work on your health. It's proven that if you drive at night sleeping longer hours is a necessity. Also driving nights at your hardest time of the night a 10 minute cat knap does wonders.
Shortly I will leave on my nightly run. Late start because of manufacturing delays, which ads to the length of the haul, but I'm rested and ready for 500+ miles tonight.

 

[Hightech_Hobo]

Expediting has a pattern, A loose one, but there is a pattern. Most loads will come between 13:00 and 19:00. You will probably drive till 04:00 to 10:00.

I finish my load, Eat a good meal..(This always makes me sleepy) and get 4 to 6 hours of rack time. I wake up, usually have enough time to eat lunch play on the computer and then the phone rings. If it goes down like this I try to get at least an hours sleep in the driver chair during the run.

if the phone dos'nt ring too quick I hit the rack again for another 2 to 3 hours and then the phone wakes me up....or it dos'nt..

if it dos'nt back to bed at 11:00 or 12:00, sleep till 06:00, up till 13:00 and a nap, expecting the phone to wake me up....

....and so on....and so on..

The key is indeed the naps. I (thankfully) have the ability to fall asleep pretty much on demand day or night. Even more so now that I've been doing expediting a while.

The early afternoon 2 to 3 hour nap is the priority one. If I've had a good 6 hours Rack time and don't get dispatched before I get the 2 hour early afternoon nap, That seems to be the trick. and if the run allows for 1 to 2 hour power nap around 04:00 so I wake to the dawn....Life is good...

If your driving and find your hitting the rumble strips...STOP!!! even if only 15 to 30 mins. Sometimes this is enuf to finish the trip on time...Another good trick is to keep track of your friends who are running..If they are awake a telephone conversation can bring you back to life. Also never eat heavy when running...A banana, a BLT or any light sandwich is your best bet....

Good luck out there....and stay safe

 

[TeamCaffee]

Thanks guys I hope that some of some of your thoughts will help solo's looking into expediting and also maybe some of the drivers new this and struggling with getting enough sleep.

 

[Jefferson3000]

When I was still on the road, I found that even an all-nighter was manageable if I could get ahead enough to take a nap between 2-4am. I have found that if I can do this, I can still preserve having my days and nights from being screwed up.

 

[idtrans]

Naps, good coffee, and leave gps on so when you wake up you follow where you need to go in case your still a little tired so you don't get on interstate heading wrong direction LOL " I did that a few weeks ago I was like **** another civic center wow" LMAO

And focus on the end result always a job safely well done and as soon as you get unloaded sleep all you can in case they find some freight fast.

 

[Dreamer]

and as soon as you get unloaded sleep all you can in case they find some freight fast.

Soooo true lol.... a lot of times there will be a break... but as sure as you stay up a few hours playin games, or watchin tv... as soon as you go to bed...ring!

I try to at least nap as soon as I del... just in case... then get up, watch tv, etc.

Me


Posted with my Droid EO Forum App

 

[highway star]

I'll only do 2 all nighters back to back, then I have to sleep during the night. If I deliver at 0700, I will only be able to sleep 3 to 4 hours. Sleeping during the day is a problem for me and things aren't consistent enough out here to switch to a night time schedual on a regular basis. This week is a good example. I ran all night Monday and Tuesday nights, then told dispatch I'd be available Thursday morning. They got me one that loaded 1000 Thursday morning. It probably costs me a run now and then, but safety is important.

 

[nightcreacher]

I very seldom sleep over 5 hrs a day,but usually get a 1 hour nap in the afternoon,at my age you need it, lol.The successful solo,stays in the short freight areas,and that's is an advantage at FDCC,cause they do have higher pay for the short runs.A lot higher pay.A load 1 mile to 200 miles will pay a tractor $510 plus fsc.Can't get that anywhere,and if you stay in the right areas you can do that weekly.BUt if a solo gets out in the system,the teams will have you talking to yourself.They don't want the short loads,but they will take them so they stay busy
As was said,expedite loads come out in the afternoons,cause thats when the shippers find they have freight on their docks ,and there is no one picking it up.Do your deliveries,park and get your sleep.Only way to make it as a solo.
The biggest problem teams, and especially really have is stopping the 14 hr clock.THe 14 hr clock ,can keep a solo without work,especially if the shipper is in no hurry to get you loaded or unloaded,I ran into that last week.Loading caused me to run out of my 14 hrs,by the time I was lega to drive,I lost a 1500 mile run.Had plenty of time to deliver,but shipper was closing before my 10 hr break was over.
Thos that know me know I usually run team,but right now I'm between co drivers and this solo crap sucks.I hate when I wake up and I'm in the same place as I was when I went to sleep.

 

[jj214]

21st. year of expediting. I have not found daytime naps to help me, I do take 10-20 min.naps as the night goes on. I could not make without my xm radio. I cannot listen to music as it makes me tired, but old time radio, news and talk, keep your brain active and awake. I think some people have the ability to power up on a short 20 min. nap, some feel worse. Keep the interior cool, the windshield clean, and stop and walk for 5 min. every 2 hours. Use a white noise machine when you do lay down to sleep and you will wipe out all the normal truck stop, motel, or road noise.

 

[jimlookup]

Usually I have trouble sleeping during the day so I try to do the following. In the morning I do maintainence, shower, eat, paperwork etc. I have some carriers that call me and I will happily except a load at this time, but, the action usually starts in the afternoon. About noon I pull out my computer and start looking for loads that are e-mailed to me. I'm looking for loads that average about 300 miles and stay in the midwest. (I will run farther on weekends but not out of my freight lanes.) About 4pm, if nothing has developed, I'll call the carriers that call me and tell them I'm dead until the next morning. Ill continue to look for loads for the next morning on the computer. I won't get rich with this schedule (I average 4-5 loads and about 1000 to 1600 miles a week in a straight truck.) but I get my rest and can run my business responsibly.
Besides, I'm just a senior citizen out touring the country with my fishing poll and my faithful dog, Spot, and not trying to get rich.

 

[RoadDawgg]

Earplugs help too. I wear them a lot at home because I'm often asleep while others are up and about. And our place has thin walls.

I agree about the super micro-naps. I've been good on a 3 minute nap before. Too long, tho, and I have a horrible time getting geared back up. Any nap over 30 for me zonks me for about a half hour after I wake up. I have no explanation, I'm just odd, I suppose.

A couple things that help increase the length of my day; Hard candies and smokes. I've noticed that for meself, having hard candy in my mouth slows the fatigue. Not gum, not necessarily chips (tho, they do help), but hard candy works best. And smoking (I only smoke cigars, dunno if that means much) I pretty much limit to when I can feel a bit of fatigue coming on. Not tired yet, but I can feel it coming in the distance. If I don't wait till I'm already tired, they'll extend my day by hours. Actually a single one can do that for me. Lit or unlit. I guess it's got something to do with having something to fidget with where I don't have to actually think away from driving, or something. Probably same reason candies work.

I also agree about talk radio and audiobooks and stuff. I had a trainer way back in my first year with a CDL, and he would listen to talk radio or audio books. Kept me awake for hours. That's when I learned about sleeping with earplugs...lol

Silence is a killer on me. Too much straight road noise, and my days get short. Gotta have something else going, sound-wise.

My wife (she doesn't drive commercial) is the opposite. She over stimulates and gets exhausted easily. So for her, silence is best. The trick is you gotta learn your own fatigue triggers, and what recharges you.

And if you've got the Nods (where you keep nodding off), you're too late for much of any help. Start praying you get to a safe place to park, and don't let it happen again.

Thanks!
Christopher