Choosing Which Type Of Driving Job To Do

I've noticed new comers to the forum lately wondering about which type of driving job they might like to choose, such as a recent thread asking about the differences in reefer , dry van , and flat bed. While Brett has a great volume of resources concerning this question right here on this site, I thought it might be a fun and informative exercise for some of us who are presently driving to share with the others what a typical week of driving looks like for us. So I'm going to jump right in here and give you an idea what a typical work week looks like for me (I'm driving a flat-bed). Here's what I'm doing this week.

I started on Monday with a load of sheet-rock coming from Fletcher, OK to Longview, TX. This load has 153 empty miles and 323 loaded miles. Doesn't sound too great, but don't complain to the dispatcher or you may be sitting for another day waiting on another load that's not even as good as that one. I commit to the load and send a note of thanks to my dispatcher. While I'm on my way to Longview the dispatcher sends me two pre-planned loads. First one picks up in Midlothian, TX and delivers in Fernandino Beach, Florida. This is a load of 40' I-beams that has 1,013 loaded miles and 148 empty miles. Second load picks up a load of shingles in Savannah, Georgia and delivers in Rochester, NY. This load is 940 loaded miles and 128 empty. I hope to have this wrapped up by Friday afternoon, and will already have gotten in 2705 miles. I delivered my steel in Fernandino Beach today and will be picking up my shingles in Savannah first thing in the morning.

Hopefully some other drivers will jump in here and tell us about their week with dry vans or reefers.

I hope this proves to be helpful for some of you that are wondering about which type of driving you might like to do.

I've noticed new comers to the forum lately wondering about which type of driving job they might like to choose, such as a recent thread asking about the differences in reefer , dry van , and flat bed. While Brett has a great volume of resources concerning this question right here on this site, I thought it might be a fun and informative exercise for some of us who are presently driving to share with the others what a typical week of driving looks like for us. So I'm going to jump right in here and give you an idea what a typical work week looks like for me (I'm driving a flat-bed). Here's what I'm doing this week.

I started on Monday with a load of sheet-rock coming from Fletcher, OK to Longview, TX. This load has 153 empty miles and 323 loaded miles. Doesn't sound too great, but don't complain to the dispatcher or you may be sitting for another day waiting on another load that's not even as good as that one. I commit to the load and send a note of thanks to my dispatcher. While I'm on my way to Longview the dispatcher sends me two pre-planned loads. First one picks up in Midlothian, TX and delivers in Fernandino Beach, Florida. This is a load of 40' I-beams that has 1,013 loaded miles and 148 empty miles. Second load picks up a load of shingles in Savannah, Georgia and delivers in Rochester, NY. This load is 940 loaded miles and 128 empty. I hope to have this wrapped up by Friday afternoon, and will already have gotten in 2705 miles. I delivered my steel in Fernandino Beach today and will be picking up my shingles in Savannah first thing in the morning.

Hopefully some other drivers will jump in here and tell us about their week with dry vans or reefers.

I hope this proves to be helpful for some of you that are wondering about which type of driving you might like to do.

Thankyou for this post! I'm one of the newbies that is dumb to the different types. now for my dumb question for the hour..... are you not paid for empty? or a lower rate?

Geo

Sorry Geo, I should have made that clear. Empty miles are paid the same as loaded miles to a company driver. I was just trying to show all the miles - those empty miles are the ones you drive from your drop to where you will pick up your next load. I once got dispatched on a run that had 535 empty miles on it - they must have really wanted me over there on that one!

And just for clarification, nobody here thinks you're a dumb newbie, you're just a newbie. We know newbies have lots of questions, and we don't think they are dumb questions. As a matter of fact that's the main reason that Brett began all this crazy amount of work and effort, so that people just like you could get reliable and helpful information on a vastly misunderstood profession. So, you just keep those questions coming, and we'll keep doing our best to provide some helpful answers.

You have answered a few of my questions also. I look forward to following this thread.

Thanks

Great post Old School..I was wondering the same thing as Geo about empty vs loaded miles and if they were paid differently..

I pull a reefer. A few things vary from dry box or flatbed when you haul a refridgerated trailer aka reefer. You have to fuel the reefer , program the temps and most of the freight delivers between 4am and noon. Now I deliver at all times of the day or night but those are the typical times. Drop and hooks are few and far between due to the fuel so you are always backing into a door. Unloading takesabout 1 1/2 to 5 hrs depending on the place and if your late oh man your gonna be sitting for awhile. You have to worry about the reefer breaking down also. Broken reefer equals lost product. Positive point is that if your batteries in your truck fail you can jump them with your reefer if you have jumper cables:) The freight also is less likely to slow down in the winter months. Folks always need food:) Now I would tell yall about my week in detail but to protect the innocent (me) that isnt possible. I will tell you since Monday I have rolled from PA to CT to NJ to PA to VA to MI to IL and am currently waiting for another driver so I can finish his load in WI by 1am. It seems that im making the impossible possible and my logs are legal:)

Redgator, thats truckin' and you have proven to your company that you are a "git er done" girl...so they know that they can give you the mission impossible loads...keep up the good work, and always know that you are making all of the lady drivers proud. And because of how you carry yourself, do your job, and command respect, your trucking experience will help to make it easier on other ladies coming into trucking....For that I thank you.

Redgator, thats truckin' and you have proven to your company that you are a "git er done" girl...so they know that they can give you the mission impossible loads...keep up the good work, and always know that you are making all of the lady drivers proud. And because of how you carry yourself, do your job, and command respect, your trucking experience will help to make it easier on other ladies coming into trucking....For that I thank you.

I think I must be the same way. Take this week, as an example.

1) I am put on a load that picked up out of Mount Sterling, Illinois. I call the company for directions, only to be told that load was given to another trucking company. (They say it must have been "double booked")

2) I call my "weekend dispatch" and let them know the situation. They take me off the load, and "preplan" me on another load, in eastern Illinois. I stop about 20 miles short of the "new" load. About 15 minutes later, they cancel the preplan and send me back west to pick up a different load from the same Mount Sterling DC (DC=Distribution Center)

3) I get loaded that night, and run out of hours in the process. I head out the next day (Monday) to Georgia and deliver on Tuesday. 4) On Wednesday I pick up a load in Georgia to take to Colo. Springs. I run out of hours on my 70, ALMOST, and stop north of Atlanta. I leave Georgia today and stop 40 miles east of St.Louis this evening.

4) I deliver in Colo. Springs on Sunday at 6 a.m., but I am going to call them and see if they are even open then. I am taking it directly to a store, and NOT a DC.

Yes, it can get hectic at times.

Dave

Redgator, thats truckin' and you have proven to your company that you are a "git er done" girl...so they know that they can give you the mission impossible loads...keep up the good work, and always know that you are making all of the lady drivers proud. And because of how you carry yourself, do your job, and command respect, your trucking experience will help to make it easier on other ladies coming into trucking....For that I thank you.

Do what you do and be the "best" at it is what I say;-) I started this journey in life wirh no support. Everyone thought id give up and fail but not only am I still doing it but doing it well:) My dispatcher thought I was an airhead at first but now know I woek my @$$ off. Gotta pay these bills sometimes. As for the reputation, I always have you in mind Mrs. Star while Im out here:)

Redgator, thats truckin' and you have proven to your company that you are a "git er done" girl...so they know that they can give you the mission impossible loads...keep up the good work, and always know that you are making all of the lady drivers proud. And because of how you carry yourself, do your job, and command respect, your trucking experience will help to make it easier on other ladies coming into trucking....For that I thank you.

I think I must be the same way. Take this week, as an example.

1) I am put on a load that picked up out of Mount Sterling, Illinois. I call the company for directions, only to be told that load was given to another trucking company. (They say it must have been "double booked")

2) I call my "weekend dispatch" and let them know the situation. They take me off the load, and "preplan" me on another load, in eastern Illinois. I stop about 20 miles short of the "new" load. About 15 minutes later, they cancel the preplan and send me back west to pick up a different load from the same Mount Sterling DC (DC=Distribution Center)

3) I get loaded that night, and run out of hours in the process. I head out the next day (Monday) to Georgia and deliver on Tuesday. 4) On Wednesday I pick up a load in Georgia to take to Colo. Springs. I run out of hours on my 70, ALMOST, and stop north of Atlanta. I leave Georgia today and stop 40 miles east of St.Louis this evening.

4) I deliver in Colo. Springs on Sunday at 6 a.m., but I am going to call them and see if they are even open then. I am taking it directly to a store, and NOT a DC.

Yes, it can get hectic at times.

Dave

Id like to see how your company plans these loads against your clock. Ive had to do some "finessing" lately due to being held up at shipping. As long as they dont tske me ability to drive 3 miles in the sleeper berth away im golden:) 100% on time and still going strong:)