Wasted Day

You know, doing 8hrs is the sleeper isn't actually a split. It's the 8 hr sleeper berth provision that simply pauses your clock, which is a separate thing from a 8/2 split. You don't have to do a split to take advantage of the 8hr provision.

Your company may not allow the split, but it seems crazy that they wouldn't allow the 8hrs.

You know, doing 8hrs is the sleeper isn't actually a split. It's the 8 hr sleeper berth provision that simply pauses your clock, which is a separate thing from a 8/2 split. You don't have to do a split to take advantage of the 8hr provision.

Your company may not allow the split, but it seems crazy that they wouldn't allow the 8hrs.

Didn't know that. However he specifically said Schneider requires drivers to take a 10 hour break either off duty or in the sleeper status.

Jamie, you're doing the right thing by bringing these situations here and letting us help you work through them with your company. Hang in there, and don't get discouraged!!! This stuff is totally normal.

What you're going through now is the exact same thing that every new driver goes through in the beginning. It's easy to see why the Web is overloaded with thousands and thousands of videos and forum posts from brand new drivers saying, "I quit my job because this company sucks!!!"

Yet you come here and you find that all of our experienced drivers are thrilled to death with their companies and they're not having nearly as many problems as new drivers seem to have.

Trust me, you're going to work through this kind of stuff and before long you'll have a better understanding of your company and the industry. You'll form great relationships with the people at your company and you'll be getting huge miles and all sorts of special favors, just like the experienced drivers here are getting.

Stay the course and stay positive. Being new to anything is always a bumpy road and a clumsy process in the beginning. This is the point where people who are not committed to success quit their job and start making "my company sucks" videos. If you'll stick with it and keep working through it one day at a time you'll come out on top and you'll have it made.

It's because of stuff like this (name tag from our annual awards event this year) that I can *almost* do whatever I want.. our company policies are easy to comply with lol. They treat me very very well.

You obviously deserve the respect you've earned. I hope it rubs off on your students...and maybe on some motivated forum members getting ready to go solo too!

Finally delivered the load, wasn't even late. Barely made it within my appointment window. On the bright side, they offer parking at the customer which has been rare for me. In an area with little parking for trucks, one less thing to worry about. Besides if I wake up having to use the restroom really bad.

Not letting the slow day get to me either, I don't always expect to have good days everyday or even week. I understand things happen, depends on the area you're in and things along those lines. Just part of the job!

I wasn't even mad at the shipper , I asked twice during the 7 and a half hours when my load might be done and did so politely and professionally. Then I waited in my truck until they came and got me(we had to disconnect from the trailer and park elsewhere). I get paid detention pay so that's better then making nothing.

It's because of stuff like this (name tag from our annual awards event this year) that I can *almost* do whatever I want.. our company policies are easy to comply with lol. They treat me very very well.

SWEET!

Jamie, I don’t know if this helps, but I had a terrible day today also. Worked almost 14 hrs on the clock but I had “other” work to do so I really put in 15 hours. And my driving miles only came up to 220. Many of the same issues you dealt with. ( one good thing, when I stopped for fuel I found a shiny new quarter on the ground).

But I loved the problem solving that came with today’s work. I could have made as much money today if I worked at McDonald’s, but still the day was challenging and interesting, also a bit frustrating.

Schneider can really put us through the ringer with all the stuff they want us to do but anytime I have a problem they are there to help me, if I can’t solve it on my own.

I love driving a truck. I’m sure I wouldn’t enjoy working at McDonald’s

Sometimes there are loads that somebody just has to do. I was in Cheyenne a few months ago and after I dropped off at the Walmart DC I get the pre-plan to go to Navajo (we have an agreement that our drivers can park for the night and we also have trailers there really handy cuz there's hardly any parking in Denver and they do the same in Kansas City at our terminal) inDenver pick up a trailer and take it to Budweiser a total of 10 MI. I thought what the hell? We had a driver break down, his truck wasn't going to be done for a couple days and the load had to be delivered. My dispatcher called me right after I got the pre-plan and told me what was going on I think I got like 90 miles empty plus the 10 miles and sat for four hours waiting for it to get unloaded. But I know he would take care of me in the end and he did. A run to Macon Georgia and then one to Tolleson Arizona. Ended up being a really good week.

My company does not give us routes or route suggestions, so we drivers take the route we choose. I almost always take the fastest route. Sometimes it may add 10-15 miles, but will knock off 30 minutes of actual drive time, and time is money. The company pays a.specific .cpm for that delivery, so going the longer but faster route may slightly decrease the actual .cpm, but I get back to the home base and pick up my next load faster also. Evens out eventually. They only care about us getting the load to our consignee on time and safely.

Not saying it's a bad company, but this has been my only company, and I suppose I'm a little spoiled. I do what I want. For example, my current load, I didn't like the route suggestion, so I'm having trainee go a different route. As long as we are where we are supposed to be when we're supposed to be there, they leave us alone. No handholding or babysitting.. just get the job done on time or early. Haven't talked to my dispatcher in over 2 weeks, but I did message him a joke earlier today and said hi.