Hours Of Driving
Topic 10113 | Page 1
Hi,
I am new to this industry and am just beginning my training. I really appreciate all the information you guys and ladies post here especially for those of us just starting out. I'm still trying to do my prehire. So far I have one with Roehl.
From reading some of the posts, I do have a few questions and any and all information or advice would be greatly appreciated. One of the first I have is in relation to the lack of adequate parking. I've stopped at a few truck stops and rest areas and they always seem full at night. My question is this, not counting the specific appointment times in which the driver is expected to deliver/pickup the load, what would be the pros and cons of driving otr mostly at night vs. during the day? I ask that because I notice how the lots are mostly empty during the day.
When you get your load, do companies give you a detailed route they want you to follow or they allow you to decide all that?
When it comes to unforseen circumstances such as getting stuck on the interstate due to an major accident or something, how do you deal with if you reach your daily driving limit?
What do you like most about driving? Is you had to do it all again what would you choose differently? And any other great advice and words of wisdom for a driver just starting out in this industry.
Thank you
1) The companies I have driven for require you as a company driver to follow the route they designate with your fuel routing they send you.
2) When you get stuck in traffic (for whatever the reason), you need to keep a sharp eye out on your drive time so as not to go over the allowed limit. Now if for whatever reason you do get to your drive limit and still not anywhere you can park, you can use SAFE HAVEN as a way to get to somewhere safe to get off the road.
3) I like the freedom of the open road (seeing different scenery everyday). I would not change anything about my decision to drive (just wish circumstances had allowed for me to start earlier in life).
As for other words of wisdom, the one statement I learned early in my driving career "Early is on time, On time is late, Late is never acceptable". If you live by that, you will have a great career driving.
Ernie
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Interstate:
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).
Prehire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
That last part is so true. You never want to be late. BTW, if you get your assignments electronically, always check the pickup and delivery times. Sometimes the pickup and delivery are GOING to be LATE. For example, today is the 30th. The pickup is for the 28th, two days ago. You got the assignment TODAY. Doesn't happen too many times, but it does happen occasionally. When it does, contact your DM.
Dave
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.New Reply:
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Hi,
I am new to this industry and am just beginning my training. I really appreciate all the information you guys and ladies post here especially for those of us just starting out. I'm still trying to do my prehire. So far I have one with Roehl.
From reading some of the posts, I do have a few questions and any and all information or advice would be greatly appreciated. One of the first I have is in relation to the lack of adequate parking. I've stopped at a few truck stops and rest areas and they always seem full at night. My question is this, not counting the specific appointment times in which the driver is expected to deliver/pickup the load, what would be the pros and cons of driving otr mostly at night vs. during the day? I ask that because I notice how the lots are mostly empty during the day.
When you get your load, do companies give you a detailed route they want you to follow or they allow you to decide all that?
When it comes to unforseen circumstances such as getting stuck on the interstate due to an major accident or something, how do you deal with if you reach your daily driving limit?
What do you like most about driving? Is you had to do it all again what would you choose differently? And any other great advice and words of wisdom for a driver just starting out in this industry.
Thank you
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Interstate:
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).
Prehire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.