How Hard Do You Run Everyday?

What if you were to put the hammer down and drive 8-9 hours a day? Would that be considered hard driving?

What if you were to put the hammer down and drive 8-9 hours a day? Would that be considered hard driving?

There no official definition for "hard driving", beyond feeling exhausted when you're done. But the idea is to safely maximize your miles driven. Hopefully you'll feel exhausted and feel good at the same time.

Hillary Clinton did it for her Congressional committee examination, but 8 hours without a break? I hope you have a small bottle within reach.

Two to three hours in the first seat during harsh winter weather, driving rain, gusty cross winds, or any urban rush hour...that's my definition of "hard driving".

What if you were to put the hammer down and drive 8-9 hours a day? Would that be considered hard driving?

I'm always hammer down which in my truck is 62/mph. But when I say hard...I mean just my one 30 min break and 10hours of drive. Taking exactly 10 hour breaks rather than twelve or more hours.

Other days I can take it easy. I just had a 34/reset and only had to drive 64 miles today. But tomorrow I pick up a 2200 mile "hot" load with a short window. Less breaks, and shorter breaks when I do. Depending on when the shipper gets me out, I might not make the delivery on time so they will have to repower it with another driver or extend my appointment time. But I'll run it as far and as fast as I cannot rack up the miles even if I have to relay it to another driver.

What if you were to put the hammer down and drive 8-9 hours a day? Would that be considered hard driving?

I'm always hammer down which in my truck is 62/mph. But when I say hard...I mean just my one 30 min break and 10hours of drive. Taking exactly 10 hour breaks rather than twelve or more hours.

Other days I can take it easy. I just had a 34/reset and only had to drive 64 miles today. But tomorrow I pick up a 2200 mile "hot" load with a short window. Less breaks, and shorter breaks when I do. Depending on when the shipper gets me out, I might not make the delivery on time so they will have to repower it with another driver or extend my appointment time. But I'll run it as far and as fast as I cannot rack up the miles even if I have to relay it to another driver.

Rainy...I have a feeling that I'm going to be driving very similar to you. I think I'd rather put the hammer down and drive as far as I can, maybe take a 30 minute break to get a bite to eat, and put the hammer down again. Of course I'm not in a truck yet so I may just be talking out of my butt. I'm just curious how people handle their work day behind the wheel because with any profession everybody has their own method of madness and what works best for them.

My Driving schedule is dictated by pick up and delivery times. If I have a long run (2 or more days). I will always run the first leg as hard as possible. Always good to have extra time on the back end! I have been at this for only 6 months, but am getting better at time/clock management daily. As you get on your own, you will find out what works best for you. Always have several places to shut down for the day/night planned in advance. Plan the ideal place, then have several planned out an hour or two earlier. Lots of unknowns out here. Good Luck!

Tractor Man...I was reading a couple of other posts and you crack me up with those lost keys comments. Hope we run in to each other on the road.

Enjoy your life, your career and everything you do.

There are lots of ways. I know a guy he goes on a road trip for every run.

Example he has to go from San Diego to Alabama... he knows his delivery date and time. He does the math and says I need to drive this many miles per day...

Then he looks at where he wants to visit or if he has friends on the way.

He may take from one day and add to another...

The days of running more hours than you can imagine are pretty much over. You can't run 48 hours nonstop anymore.

I liked the road trip idea. I tried it when I was out for my short period. It worked ok.

Your DM also does the same thing on his desk. He looks and says yep he can make it there in time if he runs like this...

Work to live don't live to work...

What if you were to put the hammer down and drive 8-9 hours a day? Would that be considered hard driving?

I'm always hammer down which in my truck is 62/mph. But when I say hard...I mean just my one 30 min break and 10hours of drive. Taking exactly 10 hour breaks rather than twelve or more hours.

Other days I can take it easy. I just had a 34/reset and only had to drive 64 miles today. But tomorrow I pick up a 2200 mile "hot" load with a short window. Less breaks, and shorter breaks when I do. Depending on when the shipper gets me out, I might not make the delivery on time so they will have to repower it with another driver or extend my appointment time. But I'll run it as far and as fast as I cannot rack up the miles even if I have to relay it to another driver.

Rainy...I have a feeling that I'm going to be driving very similar to you. I think I'd rather put the hammer down and drive as far as I can, maybe take a 30 minute break to get a bite to eat, and put the hammer down again. Of course I'm not in a truck yet so I may just be talking out of my butt. I'm just curious how people handle their work day behind the wheel because with any profession everybody has their own method of madness and what works best for them.

Well, you are required to stop for 30 minutes before eight hours passes since your last 30+ minute break. Once you go on duty, for driving, or for not driving, the 8 hour clock starts. It resets when you take a 30 minute break. You have an 8 hour clock, an 11 hour clock, a 14 hour clock, and a 70 hour clock. You will learn how they work in school, and with your trainer.

I typically try to split my driving day in half with my 30 minute break. 5+ hours before, 5+ hours after.

Ibe only been solo.for a little more than a month, but I have developed what seems to work for me. I try to drive about 8.5 hours a day, if possible. Now if that's all or mostly all interstate driving, I can get about 450 miles per day. If there are 2-lanes or city driving involved, that number goes down. There are times, like the last couple days when that hasn't been possible. I got a load assigned, at 2am, that my appt time at the shipper was for 0800. Delivery was scheduled for 0900 the next day, 700 miles away. Route from Ogden, UT to Albuquerque NM. If you look, most of the route is 2-lane US hwys. I made it, drove 11 hrs the first day, a little.over in fact. Spent 5 hrs at shipper waiting for unload. Next load was from Clovis, NM to Hiram OH. 1500 miles in a little less than 3 days. I won't be able to make it, so it's being repowered in Springfield MO. I still drove for 10.5 hrs today to make it so whoever picks it up has time to make it there. I will, hopefully, get a little break there, since my 70 hr clock has been eaten up.

My point is, for me anyway, there isn't a "normal" driving day. There seem to be so many variables that get thrown into the pot.

My one suggestion to everyone, as an RN, is to get out of the truck every couple of hours. Sitting for long periods can cause blood.clots to form in your legs, which can migrate and cause some very very bad things! So get up and walk around, even if it's just a walk around the truck. I've seen these clots form in people of every age. Sitting for.long periods is the number one factor in a lot of cases.

(Steps off his soapbox and stows it back under the bunk)