man, as a recruiter, I get yelled at by drivers for answering this question the same way you drivers do.

You forgot the important part of the answer.....Driver B will usually quit after a few weeks and spend a lifetime trying to convince other drivers that the reason he didnt get any miles was because of some other reason other than perhaps he just wasnt running smart. Oh yeah....and the recruiter lied to him. :P

 

Now Sheepdance surely your not going to tell us that recruiter don't lie. We all know some will say anything to get some to sign on the dotted line. But I do feel most will tell the truth. The biggest problem I see is most drivers heard what they want to heard. Not what is said. The other problem I see driver's don't know what they want. They don't ask question. Then when things don't go the way they thought it would it's the recruiter who lied to him.

Just having some fun with you Sheepdance.

Have a great day.

kc0iv

 

It boils down to "time management" as mentioned and the willingness to "get it done". Don't be late, "on time" is late.

 

This question should stay at the top of this forum for new drivers to see.

I have been a company driver, operations manager, broker, and now own warehouse trucking company and brokerage. I constantly ask my dispatchers this same question. Two drivers have the same truck run the same freight should work the same days yet one gets miles, therefore money and the other gets fewer miles, less money and has more problems. All of the answers here are things that a new driver should write down and practice. Some times dispatch and loadplanners shaft drivers and I know that. But if any driver is unreliable, he will not get the best freight (an unreliable driver is calling me now). Unreliable drivers cause companies to lose customers. My advice is to do the things others listed, always do what you commited to or communicate when you cant, dont over commit, BE SAFE, RUN LEGAL (its your license and our lives), HAVE FUN and LEARN LEARN LEARN. Good Luck and again that was a great question!

 

Thanks to all of you on some GREAT advice. I printed it to show to my classmates. It really comes down to common sense as well, tick off your dispatcher/employer or are continually late with excuses or are rude to customers or are not willing to go that extra mile for your Co/dispatcher don't expect those additional miles. Thanks again. (And thanks for the chuckle Sheepdancer :lol: )

 

I will add 2 cents here as well: When I was still driving, I was hitting all the miles I could legally, and that meant 2 breaks, both at rest areas, and don't screw around being a truck stop cowboy. I would get my feet on the floor of the sleeper at 4 am typically, and grab a thermos of coffee and a bite to eat, then hammer down. Stop at a rest area and check load around 8 am, then again at noon, and then I am looking ahead for the stopping point. I was in, fueled, and showered long before the evening rush, I had my hours and miles down...and I could eat my evening meal and relax for the next day, without any stress. Of course, this was flatbedding, coast to coast...all long runs, but you get the idea. Stay out of the truck stops til it is time to park it. They are the biggest waste of time in a trucker's day.

 

Age old question.

 

Sure...ive seen a few recruiters fired for lying. People in every walk of life lie. Ive said this before. Im lied to drivers on a daily basis WAY MORE than you drivers are lied to by recruiters. But I would never say some generalization like "All drivers lie"
The point was this....If I tell a driver what the AVERAGE pay is and he is a below average driver and doesnt make that pay. Of course hes going to call me a liar before admitting he just sucked at the job. Thats just human nature.

 

Keeping success at the top!

 

I agree with you 100%, but how is it possible to get into a routine, when being an OTR driver is not a 9 to 5 job, with appointment times during all hours of the day and night?