Team straight truck home time

british380

Seasoned Expediter
I had a question concerning home time. We would be driving a straight truck as a team and we live in Ohio. What would be the average home time? I know its best to stay out,but just curious on what the averages are for passing through Ohio?

I noticed the owners looking for teams in Ohio an MI say out 2 weeks home 1. The other state owners usually say out 3 home 1. Just wondering how big of a difference it makes living in Ohio and MI? Thanks:)
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
It makes very little difference between Ohio and Michigan. Lots of loads pass through both places, and once in a while you'll even get one that delivers close to where you live. Certainly, if you live the midwest freight lane states you'll have the opportunity to get home more often, even if it's just a day here and a day there. You can go home from anywhere, it's just that if you live closer to where the freight lanes are, you have a better opportunity to get home easier, or more often.

However, if home time is very important, you might not want to be in expediting. Those two owners aren't talking about getting home after 2 or 3 weeks out in relation to where you live, they're talking about the minimum you need to stay out in order to make it work. Drivers who go home at any and every opportunity do not last in this business, unless they are running local expedited loads.

If you work 2 weeks and then are off 1 week, you're working about 240 days a year. That's on the way bottom end of the minimum number of days a truck needs to be in service in order for the drivers, the truck and the owner to make enough money to keep on doing it.

If you work 3 weeks and then take a week off, that's about 275 days a year, more than a month's revenue more than the 2-week/1-week scenario. That one month can make you or break you. The longer you stay out, the less you spend at home, the better (for revenue, anyway).

Some people want to go home every weekend. Those people will not succeed in this business, by and large. That's why those owners discuss 2 or 3 weeks out and then 1 week home.
 

british380

Seasoned Expediter
Thanks for the post. I dont have a problem staying out there just was curious on how someone was making it being out there 2 then home for 1. It sounded a little fishy to me. But I thought maybe if you do go through Ohio alot it is possible they are making it. Just learning....Thanks
 

ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
Diane and I generally run wherever the freight takes us, as long as the money is right; in other words, 48 states and Canada. In 2007, we had five deliveries in Ohio.

That means, had we lived in Ohio, we would have delivered in our home state five times and had an opportunity to go home. Though, Ohio is a large state and home may still be a long distance away.

We passed through Ohio numerous times, but stopping at home during a run or on the way to a pickup is not a likely option. And even if you were able to work a home stop in, it would not last long.

Also note that there is no telling when the freight will take you home. Our Ohio delivery dates were 7/13, 7/19, 9/7, 9/22 and 11/20. If we relied on the freight to take us to Ohio, we would have waited seven months for the first time and then just six days for the next time.

See TeamCaffee's thread about home time for good information on this subject.
 
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LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
If we're talking about an O/O with low/no truck payment and moderate expenses at home then only 2/3 availability might be enough. If we're talking about the common truck payment level plus expenses etc. then 3/4 availability is probably minimum and 4/5 is better. There's really no way to tell you since everyone's situation is different.
 

FedExHD31

Seasoned Expediter
I have a 2007 Dodge Sprinter and looking to go OTR. Who pays more than 77 cents per mile for Sprinters? Is that hard to get on with a company with a Dodge Sprinter?
 

Critter Truckin

Expert Expediter
I have a 2007 Dodge Sprinter and looking to go OTR. Who pays more than 77 cents per mile for Sprinters? Is that hard to get on with a company with a Dodge Sprinter?

The best I know is that there are quite a few companies that offer anywhere from .80-1.00 for Sprinters. I'm sure ours is at the top of that, but I can't be too sure. PM me for the companies, I don't want to throw anyone under the bus.
 
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