Day Cab In Winter Shutdown

Topic 33697 | Page 1

Page 1 of 2 Next Page Go To Page:
Drew D.'s Comment
member avatar

Hey guys,

Couple of questions regarding a potential lane that my company wants to offer me as I have been on the fence regarding this new possible position.

So I'm currently running in town keg delivery in Boise and really enjoying it. Feel healthy, lost several pounds, overall loving life despite all the elbow grease.

My company offered me an additional dollar per hour plus per diem to run a dedicated lane from Boise, ID to Tacoma, WA twice a week. This would be in a daycab and, of course, winter just kicked off.

Now normally, I would have probably said no outright if this were any other lane going to say Wyoming, but since I have close family out that way that I don't see a lot, it has me considering it.

Now having run Eastern Oregon and Snoqualmie pass, I am fully aware of the potential for chaos. I am also under the impression Oregon drastically reduced it's road maintenance budget because.. Well... Its Oregon and have to spend money on other useless programs we won't talk about..

All that said, I have until Monday to make a decision.

So how screwed are you if you get held up/shut down in a Daycab?

How does layover/shutdown typically work on an hourly basis?

Would you personally consider back and forth trips through that area for slightly more scratch?

Yes, I would be expected to throw iron.

Yes, the company does pay for hotels.

Per Diem:

Getting paid per diem means getting a portion of your salary paid to you without taxes taken out. It's technically classified as a meal and expense reimbursement.

Truck drivers and others who travel for a living get large tax deductions for meal expenses. The Government set up per diem pay as a way to reimburse some of the taxes you pay with each paycheck instead of making you wait until tax filing season.

Getting per diem pay means a driver will get a larger paycheck each week but a smaller tax return at tax time.

We have a ton of information on our wiki page on per diem pay

TWIC:

Transportation Worker Identification Credential

Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.

Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.

BK's Comment
member avatar

Drew, I don’t know much about daycab, but I would think you would be fine with the new gig.

How are you with chaining up? Apparently not a deal breaker for you. I’m assuming there is no APU on a daycab, so are there idle restrictions? Company paid hotel? Great benefit. If I were going daycab, I think I would carry a real good sleeping bag just in case. How likely would it be to get stranded on that route? An extra dollar an hour doesn’t sound like much but can really add up over time.

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

Bobcat_Bob's Comment
member avatar

Spending a night or more in a day cab isn't something I want to experience. I try to make sure I can make it through to the other end or I call off. Obviously, unexpected accidents can derail those plans.

Are there hotels along your route? One night in a day cab would suck but be do able, anymore than that would be miserable. Just make sure to keep some food and warm clothing/ blankets with you just incase.

I've heard some day cab drivers who gotten stranded finding a OTR driver to let them crash in their bunk. Not sure how comfortable I'd be with that personally, I'm afraid I'd wake up being the little spoon.

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.

Day Cab:

A tractor which does not have a sleeper berth attached to it. Normally used for local routes where drivers go home every night.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Drew D.'s Comment
member avatar

Yikes! Yeah there are hotels here and there. Basically you have Ladd Canyon, Cabbage, and Snoqualmie pass being the main culprits during this time. If the company gave me a sleeper, even a slip seater, I wouldn't care as much.

I don't like chaining and I normally adopted the doctrine of "if its too borked that it needs chains, its borked enough to pull the mustard and shut down." But with a lane that is hourly and has strict deadlines, that will not be viable. That said, at an hourly rate, I'll spend 45 minutes throwing chains if necessary.

OWI:

Operating While Intoxicated

Banks's Comment
member avatar
I try to make sure I can make it through to the other end or I call off.

That's my approach as well. I've heard stories of people spending 20 hours stuck on the side of the road and it sounds horrible... Fedex will pay your hourly rate for the entire time you're in the truck, but still.

I’m assuming there is no APU on a daycab, so are there idle restrictions?

There is no APU. Fedex tractors are equipped with automatic shutoff, but they will continue to idle it's under 30 degrees.

It is a good question. Does your truck idle, Drew?

I think I would carry a real good sleeping bag just in case.

I carry a just in case bag in my truck... I carry a blanket, extra clothes including 2 pairs of socks, some canned foods like chef boyardee (nothing I'd normally eat, but you can't beat the shelf life) and bottles of water. I also have a charging box for my phone and hand/feet warmers.

Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

Deleted Account's Comment
member avatar

I'd say if you're happy with what you're currently doing just stick with it. Most local jobs go off seniority. If that's the case where you're at there's a reason those above you don't want it. Do you have wife/kids at home? If so, how do they feel about it? Will you have similar hours if you make the switch? If you're looking for the most money it wouldn't make sense to make the switch for an extra dollar an hour if you're getting 5 hours less a week. Are you able to go back to local if you dislike it? Will you get back on the same route with the customers you've likely developed professional relationships with?

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Deleted Account's Comment
member avatar
So how screwed are you if you get held up/shut down in a Daycab? I've been fortunate to not be stuck in a daycab for too long. After a couple hours at a backhaul though I'm ready to get out and stretch. We have a wooden box seat level between our seats that make naps easier but it's still not super comfortable. Company paying for hotels is nice for when a planned layover but hotels would be a nightmare trying t squeeze in with a lot of cars if road gets closed.
How does layover/shutdown typically work on an hourly basis?

we get paid up to 14 hours per day for breakdowns, layovers etc. This is company specific.

Would you personally consider back and forth trips through that area for slightly more scratch?

if I otherwise happy with current situation, no. I would however offer to do it periodically to cover it when needed (like vacation, sick, etc).

Drew D.'s Comment
member avatar

These were the questions I asked myself as well. I am not unhappy with my current work. The only alluring thing is the ability to see my daughter twice a week as opposed to summers and breaks. The **** we do for kids right?

That said, I am honestly leaning toward staying put. If for no other reason than I am in the best shape I've been in since my late teens and, for some reason, I really enjoy delivering to bars. Takes me back to my local musician days.

I'm still willing to consider if they offer to pay my hourly while im stuck or something to that effect. I just still have PTSD over being stuck for days on the 80 in Wyoming not getting paid a dime.

I'd say if you're happy with what you're currently doing just stick with it. Most local jobs go off seniority. If that's the case where you're at there's a reason those above you don't want it. Do you have wife/kids at home? If so, how do they feel about it? Will you have similar hours if you make the switch? If you're looking for the most money it wouldn't make sense to make the switch for an extra dollar an hour if you're getting 5 hours less a week. Are you able to go back to local if you dislike it? Will you get back on the same route with the customers you've likely developed professional relationships with?

TWIC:

Transportation Worker Identification Credential

Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.

Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Deleted Account's Comment
member avatar
The only alluring thing is the ability to see my daughter twice a week as opposed to summers and breaks. The **** we do for kids right?

Would she have the time to see you twice a week, AND the ability to come to where you are? If shes a minor, would Moms schedule allow it but more importantly is she WILLING to bring your daughter to you. It's not like you'll be able to take the truck and park outside where she's living. Also don't forget all that eats into your 10 hour break and you need your rest to deal with everything that part of the country throws at you. This is something only you can answer as to if it's worth it.

TWIC:

Transportation Worker Identification Credential

Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.

Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.

B Y 's Comment
member avatar

Any company I've worked for had a policy that if you need to put on chains it's time to get off the road. I've never driven daycab but I'm pretty sure they'd not expect you to have a layover in one. They'd probably prefer you got to a motel.

Page 1 of 2 Next Page Go To Page:

New Reply:

New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features

Bold
Italic
Underline
Quote
Photo
Link
Smiley
Links On TruckingTruth


example: TruckingTruth Homepage



example: https://www.truckingtruth.com
Submit
Cancel
Upload New Photo
Please enter a caption of one sentence or less:

Click on any of the buttons below to insert a link to that section of TruckingTruth:

Getting Started In Trucking High Road Training Program Company-Sponsored Training Programs Apply For Company-Sponsored Training Truck Driver's Career Guide Choosing A School Choosing A Company Truck Driving Schools Truck Driving Jobs Apply For Truck Driving Jobs DOT Physical Drug Testing Items To Pack Pre-Hire Letters CDL Practice Tests Trucking Company Reviews Brett's Book Leasing A Truck Pre-Trip Inspection Learn The Logbook Rules Sleep Apnea
Done
Done

0 characters so far - 5,500 maximum allowed.
Submit Preview

Preview:

Submit
Cancel

Why Join Trucking Truth?

We have an awesome set of tools that will help you understand the trucking industry and prepare for a great start to your trucking career. Not only that, but everything we offer here at TruckingTruth is 100% free - no strings attached! Sign up now and get instant access to our member's section:
High Road Training Program Logo
  • The High Road Training Program
  • The High Road Article Series
  • The Friendliest Trucker's Forum Ever!
  • Email Updates When New Articles Are Posted

Apply For Paid CDL Training Through TruckingTruth

Did you know you can fill out one quick form here on TruckingTruth and apply to several companies at once for paid CDL training? Seriously! The application only takes one minute. You will speak with recruiters today. There is no obligation whatsoever. Learn more and apply here:

Apply For Paid CDL Training