so how much sleep do you get now a days?

[JohnnyT]

When I used to ride with my dad in the summers when I was a kid we use to average about 750-850 miles a day and he usually got about 5-7 hours of sleep on typical nights 4-5 when the boss needed us to hurry up. How much has it changed since the mid 90's. How many miles a day is the average now? Do you sleep more now or less? How many miles do you do a week on average?

[downsouthdriver]

I'm still pretty new to all this but I try not to run more than 660 miles a day. Not so much because of the legality of it but I know what I can do and still be alert enough to be safe.

Sleep wise I try to get at least 6 hours a night. If I can get that then I know I'm good for the entire next day. Anything over that is just a bonus. I can operate on less for a day or two but then it catches up with me, so I try my best to get the 6 a night so I can go strong the whole week.

[Uturn2001]

There is no average miles in a day. You drive as many miles as you can based on your pickup and delivery schedule, the speed limits of the areas you are driving in, what your truck is governed at (most company trucks are set somewhere between 65 and 70 mph) and how many hours you have available to drive on your Hours of Service.

The short version of the HOS:

For every 10 hour break you can drive

Up to 11 hours, however after the 14th hour since coming on duty you may not drive.

You may not drive after accumulating 70 or more hours in any 8 day period, or 60 hours in 7 days if this is what your company uses.

After having at least 34 consecutive hours off the 60 or 70 hour rule is reset.

It seems that every year the fines and other penalties for violating the HOS, as well as operating unsafe equipment, running overweight, etc are becoming stiffer and stiffer. Fines of several hundred dollars are common for operating over the HOS, fines of a thousand dollars or more are not unheard of for running overweight or operating unsafe equipment, and fines of several thousand dollars are also common if caught falsifying your log books. In addition to this some states have made some of these offenses moving violations and other states are considering it.

Another thing that has changed in the last few years is that if you hold a CDL you can no longer attend driving school/traffic class to have convictions erased from your record and there is no longer any distinction at all between what you do in your own car and what you do in a CMV other than some of the penalties are worse in a CMV.

[brian griffin]

Good question. The last OTR gig i had, i got about 8 hours of sleep a night. But it was different because the company paid for hotels everynight.

For my next OTR hitch, i'm going to try to soundproof the sleeper--with peel and seal or equivalent product. And i'm going to try to utilize an APU unit. I intend to get 8 hours of equivalent quality sleep you would get as at home.

As far as mileage, i feel that if you run west with a fast enough truck, 700+ miles per day IS legal and very possible.

[Blind Driver]

<---- Brian Griffin :wink:

[Jumbo]

<---- Brian Griffin :wink:

Who is the girl in the back of the squad car? My guess is Paris Hilton. But, I am not sure.

[Ridge Runner]

<---- Brian Griffin :wink:

Who is the girl in the back of the squad car? My guess is Paris Hilton. But, I am not sure.

Looks kinda like Martha Stewart.

[TruckerChris]

If I was in a T/S that didn't have internet I'd get about 8 hours of sleep, but if I was in a place that did have internet it would be 5-7hrs of sleep. I love the internet.

[fireman932003]

I tend to get around 8 hrs of sleep. Sometimes I get more and sometimes I get less. But, for the most part, I get 8.

[DBW]

I'm a light sleeper so I consider myself lucky if I can get 6 hours of sleep. And like kona911 I spend too much time on the net when I have the chance.

If I can run 2500-3000 miles a week I'm content.

[tag along]

I usually average about 6 hours a night unless it's a layover

[Skywalker]

I get all I need. Usually 8 hours a night. Sometimes alittle less, but then thats because my body alarm clock says... OK you've had enough sleep, now wake up!!

[downsouthdriver]

Good question. The last OTR gig i had, i got about 8 hours of sleep a night. But it was different because the company paid for hotels everynight.

For my next OTR hitch, i'm going to try to soundproof the sleeper--with peel and seal or equivalent product. And i'm going to try to utilize an APU unit. I intend to get 8 hours of equivalent quality sleep you would get as at home.

As far as mileage, i feel that if you run west with a fast enough truck, 700+ miles per day IS legal and very possible.

I just wanted to clarify. When I said 660 it was based on 60mph/11 hours to drive. With my truck that's about what I average a day if I drive all day.

[JBenson2]

The total number of hours is one thing to look at, but also keep in mind that the specific times will fluctuate based on when you get loaded, avoiding the rush hour when possible, getting to a truck stop before it is fully packed. So you will wake up at different times - and it has the same impact as flying across multiple time zones. One day you wake up at 6am, the next day you might wake up at 2am and start rolling.