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Originally Posted by DIESEL BEAST
My biggest problem is how to plan for traffic jams/delays and I'm unsure how to plan a complete trip with that as a major factor.
Traffic jams can be tough to plan for. Your best move is to avoid them when possible. Bear in mind that most cities will have rush hour back ups, and try to plan around them when possible. As an example: say you're parked for the night in NW INdiana and tomorrow you are heading West through Chicago. Leave early! Waking up at 3AM may not seem appealing, but when you skate through the windy with no slow downs, you'll be glad you did it.
Sometimes you just can't plan this way (especially on the East coast.) Dock appointments can force you into traffic, driving across multiple metro areas (such as running I95 in the NE) can as well. In those cases the best you can do is have a plan B. You figured at 50MPH and it brings you to a certain point, but you know traffic will be an issue and you might not make that. So look for other stopping points starting at the 400 mile mark. That way, if you fall short you still know where to stop.
Also consider the traffic issue before you accept a tight load. That is a very tough thing to do, and exprience is the only thing that will really help you out. As a rookie just make sure there is a little breathing room allowed in a trip. If you are dispatched on a 500 mile run, and have 10 hours to deliver and you are running through multiple cities during the day, you might have a problem. In my experience, dispattches like that aren't too common, so don't panic about it, just be aware.
As for accidents, I always found the CB to be my best friend. If you pay attention, you will often here about an accident long before you see it and sometimes will even get the scoop on alternate routes. It can be hard to listen to all the trash on the radio, but it can be worth it at times.