Comments By Aubrey M.

For instance yesterday I had to go pick up a load at 8 PM qnd have it back to the yard that night, finishing my run at 1 30 am. Today my load is from the yard starting at 10 PM and apt time time at location 460 miles out is 10 am.

Is the load actually not going to be to the yard until 2200? If it is there by about 1200-1400 I'd run it down the road 5 hours or more, do my 10 then run it the rest of the way. Or, this is an instance where if you can park at the consignee, I'd just run it all the way there and do my 10, plus then you'd have your full clock on the day of delivery to use on the unload and a follow up load. Either way you're day driving for the most part. Of course if the load really isn't to the yard until 2200 then your stuck running at night.

As old school said, it's just the nature of the business. He also has some great info on here about time management. I've used his tips and advice to avoid running at night sometimes and stay on a more consistent or at least less drastic sleep change. However, you can't be scared to end late in the day or sometimes at night to accomplish that.

Personally, one of the first things i check out is if the shipper and or the consignee allow overnight parking. Already being where you need to pickup or deliver, or knowing you can do a ten once you get there can make a big difference in the start and stop of your drive clock.

Also, check pickup and delivery windows, there's usually one of them on a load that is flexible and will allow you to adjust your run time.

Doing these things isn't a cure all and there are still weeks where you will just flip flop back and forth if you want to be productive because of how the loads fall.

Also, maybe some of the pros on here can speak to this, but it seems to work out that if i run like that for a week or so then i end up with a really open run that allows me to catch-up on some rest with a better schedule but still run every day. Is this common, or do i just have an awesome fm and planners?

Oh, and we're governed at 65 with a 67 passing bump that varies in time or distance allowed depending on whether you're in a Freightliner or international. And the new tractors are all automatics/automated... Only rgn (heavy haul) is going to get manuals.

All 2017 and newer tractors have power inverters and all tractors have an epu for heat and ac. Trainers get double bunk ( condos) but there are some solo hand me downs with condos. But I'd expect a mid roof single bunk if i were you. So taking someone out with you after you are solo isn't really a thing like they say.

I'm not a pro yet, but I've been with the company since January...I started with the Roehl GyCDL (Get Your CDL) program and now I've been solo for three months. I have no regrets choosing their program and this company.

They do maintain their equipment pretty well overall but no company is perfect. Given the number of newbies who come through the program you have a higher chance of getting a more than gently used tractor that will have it's share of irritations or issues, but nothing that will keep you from getting good miles. I do know of newbies who got a brand new tractor to start though, just luck of the draw. And two of the guys i went through training with have already been switched to one brand new and one newer tractor. I'm a hold out with my manual.

For decent pay, you just have to bust your butt and make it clear to your fm you are here to make money for yourself and the company. They have an app that tells you most anything you want to know about yourself as an employee. Though I'm technically at .385/mi i am averaging .434/mile so far when live load, short haul, detention pay and fuel bonus are figured in.

Safety is big and following distance is what they are on most people's cases for all the time. So practice staying back from traffic and slowing down for mergers or Lane changers before you even start here to make it a habit. It's an easy habit to fall back out of, especially running in heavy traffic often.

I never finished my post in the Training section about phase three i think, but covered phase one and two pretty thoroughly. Just search "journey to Roehl" and it should come up.

Even with the tail end of May and beginning of June being slow freight times I've had good miles, but have had to work for them. I'm dry van and we seem to have a stronger client base than flatbed division at least during this time of year. I don't know about refer.

Anyway I'm off to bed to be up at 11... Not my typical run time, but it's how the loads fell so i make a point to be flexible and shift my schedule as needed.

I left out, I'm back at the same shipper today, but this was actually a pre load as listed. So now I'm just doing my ten hour to get up and take off at midnight. I'm using old school's advice about creative parking and using your clock to your advantage.

I'm the new guy and only have three months in, but so far my "pre loads" have about a 50-60% rate of actually being pre loads. I just sat for a live load on one the other day for 3 hrs 40 min while i watched a couple scheduled live loads come and go.

Nice article.

If you're intent on being a driver and willing to work hard for at least a year then there is no need to worry about the 7000. This site has already beat to death the reasons to go to a company sponsored school so read that info g town posted.

As for Roehl, I'm starting my third month solo and even with the slow freight at this time of year i am still averaging good miles. I went solo the last week of February and am almost at 33000 miles as i type this. My paychecks have been between 700-1100 throughout that time and I've had 14 or 15 days of home time. I took off 7 days two weeks ago, 5 the previous month and 2 or 3 the week after first getting my truck. I should add my paycheck for the full week of home time was only 200 and some dollars because i had a day and a half of running at the beginning of that week.

I run for a month or more, but a friend of mine who runs regional (5 days on, 2 days off) is making the same or more miles and pay. He had a 3100 mile week last month and is new like me.

Go with a company program like everyone on here recommends and just worry about working your butt off safely the first year... Not money you won't have to pay back as long as you stay committed.

I have no regrets going with Roehl and don't worry about the 7000.

Wow thats 700 a week? So home time is like days off then, but lets say you want to take an actual vacation how does that work for you getting paid?

You're not eligible for vacation until after putting in 52 work weeks... so a year or better. At that point your vacation pay is determined to be 1.5% of what you grossed in that 52 weeks. Vacation is paid in one week increments.

Something that helped it click for me was making sure to keep room. Meaning, if you're doing a sight side 90, don't start turning to the right on pull-ups to fix it... Always go left, whether tight or loose on the hole until you are in the hole a solid 1/3-1/2 way. For a blindside, then always go right on pull up to fix. If you watch, when people get into a bind is when they are barely into the hole and keep trying to move straight in front of the hole by turning in the direction they want the front of the trailer to move while pulling up instead of pushing the front of the trailer while backing up. They run out of space and have to do a million pullups or can never fix it.

Also, when you do a pull up to fix being too tight or too loose, watch your trailer tail and tandems to see what they do. This helps to start seeing the angles better as far as the time and distance it takes for the trailer to respond.

Oh, and on setups with no guide lines, go farther forward than it feels like you need... Not sure if that will apply to you or not, but it helps me.

Congrats and I'll reiterate... Keep calm and slow.

Trucks and trailers are 2-3" or more under 13'6" so that they clear Bridges and overpasses that actually measure 13'6". Many 13'6" overpasses are actually over that height. Put your truck and trailer on level ground and measure from the top of the trailer (which sits higher than your truck) to the ground if you don't believe me. Engineers do sometimes do things right.

I still don't recommend going under anything marked less than 13'6" for the reasons already listed.