Fellow Weekly Drivers

Hey, there’s drivers on all sorts of routes on here even though OTR is common. I want to get peoples perspective on what their week looks like. I found a niche that works well for me.

I run on a dedicated account with random loads in FL, GA, MS, AL, SC mostly. Short routes. Many dead head miles.

8/10 weeks I dispatch Monday and leave for my truck in the morning and am back Saturday afternoon or Friday night. Sometimes I get to the truck Sun night if I have an appt early. I usually would have been home since Friday in that case. It’s consistent and they aren’t afraid to deadhead a ways.

I average 7500 miles a week and I make a fair rate. I am accommodated with TO and PTO when I want. I generally take off July 4th, Christmas unpaid and a week PTO for vacation randomly.

7500 miles a week? Solo?

MONTH. Woops

I usually run those same states and average 10,000 miles per month. Not dedicated and usually leave Sunday or Monday, my choice. I’m also usually home either Friday or Saturday.

Mine has worked well for the past five years, but changes may be coming. 🤔

Well, my short time with New Legends, was pretty damn good.....They broke everything down on pay. Mileage pay in every state I drove thru. Lunch break pay, their $10,000 signing bonus was spread quarterly over 2 years. So I got my first 30 days $1,000 "seated" bonus,and a driver retention $500 bonus too... My old co driver worked there too, locally, so he got a $1,000 referral bonus (thanks to me, he didn't know anything haha)

I got paid detention pay for live unloads, ran Calif-Tex/OK, was supposed to been a Home Depot dedicated, which it wasn't=fine by me. Mostly Target, Kimberly Clark, some odd ball loads, like Harbor Freight, Big Lots,Hobby Lobby.... I ran anywhere from 2800-3200+ a week. Stayed out 3 weeks for 3 days off, or day extra if I wanted. I was never micromanaged, and basicly ran as I felt like it, which I was burning up my clocks usually to get in the 2-1500 mile loads each way done. I did stay out once for 5 weeks, for 5 off, but eh 5 out is too much for me.

And those $1,500+ weekly checks, and $2,500 in tax free bonus money, was very nice too!..........Best part, unlike a lot of companies, my bonus's were listed as reimbursements, so NO taxes withheld.....between them, and CRST, it was like night and day! Shoulda looked into Legends a year or so earlier !

I wish I had more months like that. We have been having problems with the broker and customer. The first month I got 9600 but it’s been downhill since.

I can’t argue with the time off and dispatch are great people. Most my small terminal been in the business longer than I been alive

I usually run those same states and average 10,000 miles per month. Not dedicated and usually leave Sunday or Monday, my choice. I’m also usually home either Friday or Saturday.

Mine has worked well for the past five years, but changes may be coming. 🤔

I wish I had more months like that. We have been having problems with the broker and customer. The first month I got 9600 but it’s been downhill since.

I can’t argue with the time off and dispatch are great people. Most my small terminal been in the business longer than I been alive

I usually run those same states and average 10,000 miles per month. Not dedicated and usually leave Sunday or Monday, my choice. I’m also usually home either Friday or Saturday.

Mine has worked well for the past five years, but changes may be coming. 🤔

Hang in there. I hope I’m wrong, but I suspect we’re about to see significant reductions in freight. Intentional or not, inflation will eventually (if it hasn’t already started) cause people to slow their buying and, probably, stop many from buying non-essentials.

I agree 100% on that.

I wish I had more months like that. We have been having problems with the broker and customer. The first month I got 9600 but it’s been downhill since.

I can’t argue with the time off and dispatch are great people. Most my small terminal been in the business longer than I been alive

I usually run those same states and average 10,000 miles per month. Not dedicated and usually leave Sunday or Monday, my choice. I’m also usually home either Friday or Saturday.

Mine has worked well for the past five years, but changes may be coming. 🤔

Hang in there. I hope I’m wrong, but I suspect we’re about to see significant reductions in freight. Intentional or not, inflation will eventually (if it hasn’t already started) cause people to slow their buying and, probably, stop many from buying non-essentials.

Im supposed to be regional , however my terminal doesnt really do regional, so I end up all over the place, but mostly not home when Im supposed to be. They do for the most part keep me out of the places I dont want to be, CA, NY, and the pacific nw. Im also supposed to be 7 out, 2 in. It usually doesnt work out at all. More like home several unanticipated nights, then gone for 3 or 4 weeks while they continually miss the boat on routing me back home. Currently Im sitting for 3 days on an 8 hour load due to high winds, which is typical for Denver dispatching. (it would have been far too logical and efficient to give me a load not going into a major storm).

Notwithstanding my terminals horrible lack of load planning, I usually will hit 11k to 12k miles for the month if the Mrs can keep from purchasing vacations like chewing gum. The times that Im short are not because of lack of miles, its usually weather shutdowns or maintenance issues with the shop, not the truck so much. But I also shut down more readily than others due to not wanting to risk an accident and possibly adversely effecting my marketability for getting hired elsewhere.

Even when they have somewhat kept me to a region I still maintained 11k plus. I actually can keep going pretty good, if not better if they run me down south because I dont get shut down nearly as much.

I wish I had more months like that. We have been having problems with the broker and customer. The first month I got 9600 but it’s been downhill since.

I can’t argue with the time off and dispatch are great people. Most my small terminal been in the business longer than I been alive

I usually run those same states and average 10,000 miles per month. Not dedicated and usually leave Sunday or Monday, my choice. I’m also usually home either Friday or Saturday.

Mine has worked well for the past five years, but changes may be coming. 🤔

Hang in there. I hope I’m wrong, but I suspect we’re about to see significant reductions in freight. Intentional or not, inflation will eventually (if it hasn’t already started) cause people to slow their buying and, probably, stop many from buying non-essentials.

Not wrong.

My guy is home after 1 run today! Aughh... I'm not done cooking..messed up my routine/poutine, haha! It's usually 2 long or 3 short(ish) hauls of corrugated/boxes within Ohio. Already seeing a down turn; even in the last week. Who needs 'boxes' for jelly or ketchup if the stores aren't needing restocked? Pet food, also. Sadly.

Re: your post, CM59 ... are you still okay with 'May?' ... May IS overall a great company, in our 'jury box!'

Fellow DAY CAB /weekly driver(him) here: Leave Monday at Noon hundred; run Ohio (Napoleon, Fremont, Streetsboro, Reynoldsburg, Vandalia, Willard, Wooster, et al) obviously not all in one day. Arrive home between 2330 to 0230 depending on hours available, and loads to be ran. 9 times out of 10, tractor trailer home; saves the company fuel as well as usn's.

Once in a 'blue' (PINK?) moon.. there'll be a PA run thrown in.. and for the 'Norte' guys like DH, an occasional upstate NY. Still home 'daily,' but if ever not; Hotel is bought & paid for by said company. Still haven't bought this, sure want to, by Xmas!

Highway Hammocks / Truck Snoozer

(It works, IF YOU work it!)

~ Anne & Tom ~

ps: Same for Don, we'd suppose!

pps: With our 'local/weekly/regional' company, there are SO MANY accessorials, that going by CPM rarely is even a benchmark. 4 digits net, is ours. Do'able? Almost always. Bird One ... tapping on the bird house, haha!