When you begin your career in the world of trucking an area that most newbies struggle with is trip planning. For whatever the reason most CDL schools fail to cover this particular area.
In this section we are going to take a closer look at trip planning and what you need to take into consideration when planning out your next trip
So your dispatcher sends you your first route and it is from Point A to Point B. The trip is five hundred miles long.
Now the dispatcher is going to want to know A) When are you going to get there (B) What time are you going to be available after your arrival
First we need to take a look at the first question – What time are you going to arrive at the destination
Trip Planning – What Time Are You Going To Get There
What most newbies tend to do is take the five hundred miles and break it down by 60mph and they get a number of roughly eight and a half hours which is possible under perfect conditions however that basically does not exist in trucking
The first problem is the average speed. If you spent the entire time on the interstate then you may get away with the 60mph but if you run into any issues such as traffic, weather, construction, fuel and mandatory rest break if you are operating in the United States.
Unless it is a run that you have done repeatedly it is safer to use a lower average speed such as 50mph. This will give you a cushion in case something happens. Now you are looking at ten hours to complete the trip
Factors Affecting Average Speed
Weather – If the sun is shiny then everything is good however if the weather is bad then it is going to affect the average speed. The area that I normally work is located in the snow belt in Ontario so my average eight hour days can easily extend to ten hours plus during the winter. Throw in a couple of accidents then it becomes a very long day
Construction – When the weather starts to turn nice that means the pylons are on their way. It could turn a normal three lane highway down to one and it can cause backups that are miles long
Terrain – Now if you are located in the center of the country where everything tends to be nice and flat then this does not really apply. However if you are out East or West then location very quickly becomes a huge factor. Traveling down long hills will get your average speed up a few notches however climbing the same hills will quickly drop your average speed. I remember travelling throughout Pennsylvania where there are hills/mountains that my average speed would barely hit forty miles per hour
Location – An important factor is location or to be more exact where you are travelling to and where you are traveling through. An example would be Michigan to Wisconsin. The main problem here of course is Chicago stands right in the middle of it. Even using all of the bypasses surrounding the city Chicago can be really smooth or a royal pain and it all comes down to the time of the day. I used to drive from Toronto to a place in Wisconsin so what I would do is stop at our terminal in Gary Indiana so I could leave early the next morning to beat the rush hour.
Hours of Service Mandatory Break – For every eight hours you drive in the United States you have to take a mandatory thirty minute break during that time. Canada does not have a mandatory break. I will cover the thirty minute break in the hours of service section however it must be taken into consideration when planning out your trip
Borders – Now I am not talking about the border between two States but the border between Canada and the United States or the United States and Mexico. Let’s assume all of your paperwork from the broker is actually on time and correct however the wait at the border can be long. A lot of it depends on the day of week and the time of the day. A Friday afternoon is going to be a heck of a lot busier than Wednesday at lunchtime.
In Ontario where I operate there are two main borders – Detroit/Windsor and Sarnia/Port Huron. Lately the Detroit/Windsor has been a lot faster for there is less truck traffic due to the owners of the current bridge increasing the toll to cross it. Sarnia/Port Huron has been a nightmare with the average wait to just getting to the bridge is two plus hours
Of course if you are pulled in for an xray of your truck/trailer or even worse a complete inspection it is going to be in a long day
Finding A Place To Sleep – Very quickly when you start on the journey of being a professional driver you will come to a realization that there are a ton of CDL trucks on the road and the majority will need to find a place to sleep before the day is out. Depending on where you are in the country this can be an easy or a difficult task.
The time truck stops fills up depends on the time of the year. In the winter it tends to be early or as soon as the sun goes down where summertime it tends to be later. If all of the truck stops are full you will be searching for a rest area and again depending on where you are in the country will determine how difficult this will be. Its important in trip planning to have where you intend to stop and backup places where you are able to shut down
Fuel Stops – Of course your truck does not run on fairy dust so it is important to schedule your fuel stops. Now obviously this may not be an issue on every run but it does come into play. Some companies are very specific on where you are allowed to stop for fuel while others will just want you to use a specific company such as Flying J or Pilot.
Depending on the time of day will determine how fast you are able to get fuel. Unfortunately with the new generation of drivers it seems that taking your thirty minute DOT break at the fuel pumps has become popular which just pisses off every other driver and it is a good way to have your fifth wheel handle pulled. A ten minute fuel stop can turn into an hour to quickly.
Trip Planning – When Are You Next Available
Now your dispatcher will want to know when you are available for your next load and just like the trip planning on getting to your location there are a number of factors that you need to consider before letting him/her know. Lets take a closer look at the second part of trip planning
Type Of Stop –
When it comes to delivery there are two main stops (A) The Live Unload (B) Drop And Hook. To be honest one can be a nightmare . Lets take a closer look at the two types of stops and how it will affect your trip planning
Live Unload – The live unload basically has you backing up to a delivery door and the warehouse people unload your truck. Sounds simple however depending on the company you are dealing with this process can take 30 minutes to hours. There are companies that will have you park, walk into the building to tell them you are there and then they will assign a specific door. You will then pull up to the door and they start the unloading process. I have personally spent over twelve hours waiting for my truck to be unloaded and know drivers who have sat at doors for days. With experience you will know how long each company takes and can use it to update your next available time
Drop And Hook – Basically with a drop and hook you will pull up to the security booth and they will tell you where to drop your trailer and where to pick up your next trailer. There are companies who will make you go in to the actual receiving office to do this. The only real problem that arises from drop and hook deliveries is they may not have an empty trailer to give you which means you have to get in contact with your dispatcher to find you an empty. There will also be situations where you will drop the trailer and bobtail out of the location
Needless to say when it comes to trip planning drop and hook is definitely the preferred option. Most recruiters will brag that the majority of their deliveries are drop and hook however take this with a grain of salt
Trip Planning Conclusion
When it comes to trip planning there are a number of factors that you need to consider as it will affect how long you will wait for your next load. As with everything in trucking you are only making money when you are driving. Most dispatchers know that trip planning is a difficult task for new drivers and will give a bit of slack. However the faster you can master trip planning the better off you will be.
The main aspect when it comes to trip planning is to give yourself a safety window. Yes you can make the run in nine hours but it is safer to add a bit of time for elements that you can not plan for such as accidents and traffic delays. If you keep showing up late for deliveries then your job may soon be on the line.
