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60363

I wonder if experienced drivers can share their tips on how to spread driving time into manageable chunks. I mean if let's say you have to do 500 miles today, how do you do it? Do you drive for 10 hours without stopping? Do you stop every couple of hours? Every 3 hours?

I actually know a guy who can drive without stopping for ... 12 hours. Another guy told me he usually stops for 1 hour every 3 hours.

Thanks!

yoopr · Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 12866

Stopped long enough to refill the Thermos and head on out again
Used to run by your town long time ago when I ran QEW pretty often

60363 · Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2006 6:04 pm Post subject:

I spend more time in U.S. than in Cambridge, ON (2 weeks on the road, 3 nights at home). But it's a great little town.

TruckinRanger · Joined: 15 Mar 2005 Posts: 451 Location: Lexington, SC

hey yoopr I know you still drive through his little town the U.P. was just annexed by Canada. LOL. I try to get where I have to go as fast and as safe and as legally possible. I don't like to prolong my day

Uturn2001 · Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2006 6:26 pm Post subject:

What I like to do is drive about 3-4 hours, take about a 15 minute break, drive 2-3 hours, eat "lunch", then drive 3-4 hours and shut it down for the "night".

There are times, however, when I get into what I call Robodriver mode and just keep punching out the miles until I start feeling tired and then take a break. Other times I can't seem to get motivated at all and will end up stopping an hour down the road for a rest break.

Highwayman · Joined: 27 Feb 2005 Posts: 1139 Location: At home

I usually drove 2-3 hours, and stopped for a half hour or so.

It's insane to have to do all your driving in one spell.

GMAN · Joined: 13 Feb 2005 Posts: 9284 Location: Tennessee

Everyone has a different physical clock. I don't necessarily have a specific time to run or stop. However, I do try to eat at about the same time each day. It helps me to do that. I find where I need to go, plan my route and plan where I will stop along the way. I try to make the most of my stops. In other words, I try to eat and take care of other personal business when I stop for fuel. When I do my planning, I know that it should take me a certain number of hours to travel say.....500 miles. Travel times will vary according to where the pickup and deliver are. It will take longer to make a delivery or pickup in Ohio than in Texas. The main reason is the speed limit. I plan accordingly. If I get tired or need to stop, I do. I just do what I must to make my delivery or pickup on time. I always try to be early. I don't waste a lot of time in truck stops. I never play video games. That eats a lot of time and money. Once at the consignee or shipper's you can do what you want. It takes a lot of stress off by taking care of business first. There are days in which I don't feel like running more than 300 miles. Other days I could run for 18 hours straight.

On a health note......it is actually best to stop about every 2 or 3 hours to stretch your legs. It helps prevent blood clots. At least that is what I read. Truckers sit a lot in one spot. We need to move around and keep the circulation going. :shock:

TK THE TRUCKER · Joined: 11 Jul 2004 Posts: 786 Location: NEAR ROCHESTER, NY

If it's a normal day and I need to run more than 450 miles I take how many miles I want to cover and divide by 3. So If I want to run 600 miles I'll drive 200, take a break, 200 more, take a break, then 200 more and be at my destination for the day. I don't like taking breaks longer than 15-20 minutes unless it's for a shower or groceries. I like to start my day and get it over with asap. If I stop for a sit down lunch or something it makes the rest of my day tiring. The most I've driven in one stretch is 7 hours. I have the same problem as Uturn. Some days I can do that deal and other days I'm like " Are we there yet ?" after only driving an hour. :D :D

yoopr · Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 12866

and then there were days when after getting up I've driven 2-3 hrs and was dead dog tired and crawled into the bunk for a few hours.
Bottom Line-It all comes down to time management-You have a set time(Usually) to get to a location and it's up to you to figure out your Free time and what it takes to get you to your location safely.

Aligator · Joined: 06 Sep 2004 Posts: 880

I rolled out at 6:30 Sat morning. I had loaded at 12 midnight.
Stopped for small breakfast at 9:30.
Lunch and 10 min nap at 12:00
Break and 30 min nap at 3:00PM
Break and one hour nap at 8:00PM
Arrived at destination at 3 AM......

Total distance: 1066 miles in 21 1/2 hours. I never broke the speed limit. Don't need to. Weather was clear, roads good, traffic light because it was Saturday.

I don't usually do that, but I can because of my catnapper's nature......everyone's different, though, so be aware for signs of "microsleeping".
Know your body and its tolerances.

fierce750 · Joined: 03 Aug 2005 Posts: 297

Where is the 6 or more option?

60363 · Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2006 11:54 pm Post subject:

I was sure I added "6 hours or more" as the last option in the poll. Somehow it didn't show. I can't change it now :sad:

proffit · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 5:33 am Post subject:

all depends on how im feeling, , i cant legally say how long ive been in a driver seat for... can say i have spent sometimes 2 hours before i got to stretch my legs to 12 hours before i gotta P. if im a bs, chip haul runs, them i spend upwards of 8 hours in the truck before i really have a chance to take a break. and thats only if things arent "EASY IN AND OUT" normal day im sitting around at 1 end for a hour -3 hours, and 20 minutes on the other end of the trip.

Sabine · Joined: 20 Feb 2006 Posts: 203 Location: Fredericktown, MO

I'm a girl, and you all know how we are.......LOL, but seriously, I stop every couple of hundred miles, maybe every 250, go to the bathroom, get a drink, maybe a snack, it all depends on the day. Some days it seems you can drive all day, others I don't want to get up.

60363 · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:34 am Post subject:

I'm glad to see not everybody drives for 10 hours straight. I thought something was wrong with me. I normally re-set my daily trip odometer to zero when I start out in the morning, and when I see a nice number like "200" on it, I stop for about an hour or 45 minutes.

I went from Ontario to British Columbia once and they gave me quite a lot of days to complete the trip. So I divided the mileage (2600) by the days available to me, and it came down to something like 450 miles a day. For the next 6 days I drove 200 miles from morning till lunch, then stopped for an hour and did another 250 before I shut down for the night. I would ocassionally stop for some 15 minutes before or after lunch... This was a good trip :lol: Good money too...

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