Delivery Appt. Times/ Night Driving

When you are given a load from dispatch for example say it's January 4th & the load is to be delivered for January 7th. Does it matter if you drive in the day time or the night time to deliver the load. Is there like an assigned time for you to drive? Or if you just prefer to drive at night then you can. Or is it like a "we don't care when you drive just so long as the load gets there on time" just curious.

You answered your own question, but you weren't sure:

"we don't care when you drive just so long as the load gets there on time"

Just be sure you have enough drive time available after you drop so you can do the next thing. Plannser and DMs like to see extra time, but that's really up to you.

I personally like to drive from about 2am to 4pm.

Pay attention to your destination times. If you get a "window" like 1200 - 1400 to drop a trailer, you can probably get in a bit early. If you have an exact time, say 1630 (4:30pm), and you have a live unload, you should try to get there on time. Experience will help greatly in your decision. You'll get there.

Sometimes you can call the receiver and get permission to arrive early. I've done this to avoid an incoming storm. The people were very understanding. I wouldn't try it with the Walmart or Costco though.

You answered your own question, but you weren't sure:

"we don't care when you drive just so long as the load gets there on time"

Just be sure you have enough drive time available after you drop so you can do the next thing. Plannser and DMs like to see extra time, but that's really up to you.

I personally like to drive from about 2am to 4pm.

Pay attention to your destination times. If you get a "window" like 1200 - 1400 to drop a trailer, you can probably get in a bit early. If you have an exact time, say 1630 (4:30pm), and you have a live unload, you should try to get there on time. Experience will help greatly in your decision. You'll get there.

Thanks Errol!

Ok here is a question along the same likes, I get a load dispatched with a an appointment in 3 days, but can make the drive in a day and half and still stay under time. Can I call the receiver and bump up my drop time?

Ok here is a question along the same likes, I get a load dispatched with a an appointment in 3 days, but can make the drive in a day and half and still stay under time. Can I call the receiver and bump up my drop time?

Sometimes yes. Some receivers will bring you in early and some won't but it definitely doesn't hurt to call ahead and find out. If you can run it in early, you just allowed yourself to make more money so go for it. If they won't allow it, you can possibly get in a reset which depending on your hours, isn't always a bad thing either, especially since in that case it wouldn't be conflicting with anything.

Making more money is what I was thinking. If I can drop early then dispatch can get me another load earlier.

Making more money is what I was thinking. If I can drop early then dispatch can get me another load earlier.

Check with your team leader/dispatcher. When I have this happen and, if they can't take me early, my company will either have me relay it, so I can keep rolling or they'll pay me layover. But as a general rule, my company is pretty good about not letting this happen. They try to match in a way that serves the customer and keeps company costs to a minimum.

Good luck.

Ok here is a question along the same likes, I get a load dispatched with a an appointment in 3 days, but can make the drive in a day and half and still stay under time. Can I call the receiver and bump up my drop time?

A possibility, and a decision for you:

It's possible your DM has included a 34 hour reset. Once you have the reset, you don't have to worry about the 70 hour limit for about a week.

The decision is how you want to run that 70 hour limit. It's called "recap" time. Since you're limited to 70 hours in 8 days, that's an average of 8:45 per day. You can personally manage your time to come up with that 8 - 3/4 hours, or you can drive out your limit, and end up with maybe 3 or 5 hours you can actually drive in a day. Your Qualcomm knows this.

Rob S. mentioned Walmart/Costco. Stores have definite times. I was backed into a Walmart dock, went to the office, and another driver walked in, but he had that appointment time. I had to pull out and wait. A wasted back-up!I

Distribution centers are different. They are usually 24/7 operations. If you don't have a definite appointment time (when you have the 2 hour window), you can come in nearly any time within reason, grab and go.

I have had to keep a log book and understand the hours of driving/working. I had seen in a post on another site that a driver had gotten to his scheduled delivery a day early and was able to get another load that week. Of course he had to keep dispatch updated so they had time to find him a load. I was just curious if this happens often or is it the exception. I'm going to work to drive and drive I will.