Getting your driving legs under you?

[toolmantaylor]

Goofy question, how long does it take to get so that you can drive your alloted hours with out getting sleepy?

[Crash935]

All depends on the person, amount of sleep prior to driving, road conditions and weather.

Some people cant pull out of their driveway without getting sleepy. I have days where i can use my full 14 hours and still feel like going another 100+ miles and then theres days where you spend a good part of it sitting at a shipper/reciever and then pull into gridlock traffic and after 100 miles you feel like your done for the day but havent worked 8 hours.

[toolmantaylor]

Ok, so is there a way to train yourself to stay awake?

[nickbtubas]

Ok, so is there a way to train yourself to stay awake?

just keeping pushing yourself to keep driving 1 hour longer on each run. BUT DON"T fall asleep!!!!!!!!! don't take any energy pills they will just make you "crash" harder.

drving 11 hours straight will take you a couple of weeks to accomplish but is doable. also take small breaks to walk around your truck and get some light excerise, that will help keep your blood flowing through you...

[terrylamar]

Ok, so is there a way to train yourself to stay awake?

just keeping pushing yourself to keep driving 1 hour longer on each run. BUT DON"T fall asleep!!!!!!!!! don't take any energy pills they will just make you "crash" harder.

drving 11 hours straight will take you a couple of weeks to accomplish but is doable. also take small breaks to walk around your truck and get some light excerise, that will help keep your blood flowing through you...

Other things that help: get good physical shape and exercise regularly, do not eat a heavy meal before or during driving, many smaller meals are better, avoid certain foods, do not get too warm, cool is better, listen to something that takes a little thought or talk on the CB and get a good nights rest before driving.

[syl77dar]

gl

[Deus]

Ok, so is there a way to train yourself to stay awake?

just keeping pushing yourself to keep driving 1 hour longer on each run. BUT DON"T fall asleep!!!!!!!!! don't take any energy pills they will just make you "crash" harder.

drving 11 hours straight will take you a couple of weeks to accomplish but is doable. also take small breaks to walk around your truck and get some light excerise, that will help keep your blood flowing through you...

Drive 11 hours straight??? Man, I have trouble after about 5 hours with my bottom getting sore...

Dunno how you sit that long. I only take 5 minute breaks every few hours, but I dunno how you drive 11 straight. That is nuts. Must have a lot of extra padding

[golfhobo]

only one thing to add avoid a hot shower before or during your drive time can make you sleepy also, when I first started out I would drive 5 hours on 5 hours off, but now they changed that rule. So do 5 hours then stop and fuel then try 3 hours, then take a two hour break and extend your 14 hour rule and do another 2 hours, it works I have done this.

Well.... your math works out to be "legal," but you are NOT extending your 14 hour clock/rule by taking that 2 hour nap. You are "delaying" the last 2 hours of your 11 alloted for driving (actually only drove 10).... but still accomplishing it within the 14 hours.... which does NOT change. :wink:

Nothing wrong with the way you are "working up" to the 8 hours with only a fuel stop, but if it was me.... and I had gotten used to the 5 and 5, I'd drive 5, sleep 3, drive 5 more, with a fuel stop and break thrown in there somewhere to break up the last 5. Just a thought.

[Sealord]

Nothing wrong with getting good endurance, but don't cut off you nose to spite your face. Expect to do a fifteen minute walk-around every two hours while you're running. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) can totally mess up your driving career especially as you get older. Keep the blood moving. Also reduces monkey butt if your truck seat is vinyl . BOL

[BanditsCousin]

It depends where Im driving. Going west or east (from the west) I can do plenty. Out east I tire easily, but I am never in the same time zone too long

[TruckerChris]

There is no set schedule for otr drivers. It's hard to get used to driving 11hrs while one day you're driving from sunrise to sunset and the other it's the opposite. All I can suggest is that you don't play the arcade games in the truckstop and actually head to bead early!