Can someone tell me how much time you are out with CFI ...i've heard a couple different things on this...

 

You earn a day home for every seven out. You can request home after ten days out, at which time they have five days to get you home. If you're in Wyandotte, you'd likely get home quickly more often than not as that has been my experience. So, in theory, the minimum time out would be in the neighborhood of two weeks by the time you got back.

That's how long you have to stay out. It's definitely more profitable to stay out at least 3-4 weeks. As soon as you request home time, the focus on getting you good miles shifts to a focus on getting you home. Sometimes it works out wonderfully, but sometimes you get a few crummy runs in order to get you home. For me, it tends to be something going to Canada. Then, depending on whether or not there are a lot of trucks in Taylor, I either leave it on the yard or deliver it in Canada and go home from there.

 

So i could do 2 weeks out and 2 days home then ....and i could possibly boost that to 3 weeks after i can used to it...

thx vito

 

Could... yes. Whether or not you would find the income generated that way to be sufficient, I couldn't say. Going back out from Taylor can be a hit and miss deal. I think the last few times I've headed out, I've sat all day and then taken an overnighter somewhere. Then again, my miles have always been pretty solid so maybe I could have gone home more and not lost much.

A buddy of mine lives in Florida and he was requesting home time right at ten days every time he went out. He said he made good money, so I guess it's an individual 'luck of the draw' thing.

 

Or you could look for a company like the one I drive for that gets you good miles and has you home every weekend. After 20 years at this game I have never seen a situation where a carrier could not get you home at least within 10 days and more probably 7. Just because they do not know how to plan freight does not mean you should suffer for it.

I never averaged 3200 miles a week at CFI like I do now. And I never was home every weekend like I am now. There are a lot of good regional companies that you should take a look at unless you are just dying to live in the cab of a truck for weeks on end. In that case, CFI or one of the other national carriers that want to own your soul are good choices.

 

Four posts on the forum so far, and three of them for the purposes of bashing a company for which you allegedly worked eight years ago? What's the real story?

"Other national carriers that want to own your soul?" I sold mine to the devil a long time ago so I guess they're out of luck with me, but one part does make me curious. I see claims on here all the time regarding people who allegedly average over 3,000 miles a week, allegedly have weekends off, and allegedly make more per mile than OTR drivers do.

Based on the various companies with whom I've spoken, the higher cents per mile is about the only part based on any kind of reality. The miles and home time part of the equation don't add up, and nobody so far has been willing to provide me with any proof. Even the recruiters or managers at these smaller companies don't make claims like that.

Hell, if anyone can back up these kinds of claims, maybe I'll go work for their company and buy you a beer for saving me from the slavery and the horrors of being an OTR driver. It's so horrible!!! And then maybe BiGG T33 can buy me a beer if I rescue him from the nightmare, and the pattern can continue forever until we're all healthy, wealthy, and wise. If nobody can back it up, it's fluff from someone with an axe to grind on an internet message board and nothing more.

 

Based on my experience (which is admittedly dated) it is possible to get 3K plus per week, be home every weekend and make good coin. But it's the kind of thing that lots of guys brag about but very few will honestly explain in public. It's simple really, it's called being an outlaw on a regional route. 70 hours a week on the comic books, in a five day window. It's mathematically possible but parctically impossible (except for maybe on a pure, 100% drop and hook gig.) but, when one is cooking the books, practical is irrelevant, it's all about what you can make the numbers do.

 

Personally I wish drivers would start getting away from worrying so much about how many miles per week they can get and start concerning themselves with how much money per week they can earn.

I have seen too many drivers who will go to work for a company at 25 cpm because that company can and does get them 3500 miles a week and trash a driver who goes to work somewhere making 42 cpm that only runs 2100 miles a week.

 

Not necessarily. I do have a dedicated run... Grand Rapids MI to Kansas City. Drop and hook at one end and a quick live unload/reload at the other. 640+ paid miles each way. I start Sun Eve (around 2100) and am done for the week on Fri eve about the same time. I also stop thru the house twice a week (since I live midway between these points). 3 complete turnarounds one week and two the next. Averages 3200+ miles a week and done totally legal without a second log book or fudging the numbers. It is with Mike Brooks, Inc out of Knoxville Iowa. It is a dedicated to Ford Kansas City Assembly. Log hours left over and a 34 restart at home each weekend.

Now you got the details and you can call 1-800-255-6231 to confirm with the safety director that all is on the up and up. so..... blew your theory out the window.

 

It doesn't really blow my theory out of the water, Just shows there is an exception to every rule. I have no doubt that there are other dedicated drivers who accomplish this, as well as some of the guys running yard to yard for the LTL companies. Furthermore, and I know I'm not sounding much like a driver here but, 9PM Friday to 9PM Sunday does not a weekend make. You basically have Saturday off. In any business other than driving truck, this would not be considered a weekend.

I know several drivers who used to get 32-3400 a week, started 7AM Monday morning and were home by Friday early afternoon. None of them were doing it legally. Though I have been off the road since 01, and things have changed. No doubt that 34 hour restart makes things a bit easier, as you get a fresh 70 after every weekend. Figure some good dock times (like you have) into the mix and it can be done. But, without a dedicated account, you sure can't count on always getting good dock times.

Either way, the question of how was asked and you answered. There are lots of drivers who claim the same deal as you, but refuse to explain how they do it. I always figure a guy who won't answer simple questions has something to hide. Obviously that doesn't apply to you.