fedexhatch
Seasoned Expediter
on average what% of driving is done at night?
night driving?
- Thread starter fedexhatch
- Start date
mypie
Seasoned Expediter
For us, most of our driving is done at night. The majority of our loads pick up at 5pm or later local time and deliver 7am local time. In the darkest days of winter it can be very hard, especially if it is combined with weather. Or, if it is below 32 degrees, bridges can ice up. You have to be very careful. I'm not good at driving all night time hours, but also don't want to stick my honey with the deed. We try to split the night. So, I'll start driving and go until 1 or 2am, then he'll drive and it should get him to daybreak. Coffee helps!
You'll need 2 ADJUST u r sleep habits 2 your runs. If your used 2 bed at 9 pm. your going to have a problem RIGHT AWAY. Back in 2003 when i started i WAS used to being up till midnight or 1 pm. BUT i kept ICE WATER for drinking while driving cause i'm not big on coffee and i already drink enough POP ( lol ). That helped me , PLUS if you get really tired DON'T CHANCE it stop and take a half-hour POWER NAP . Then get up and finish the drive . I M O do NOT take stuff like NO-DOSE or similar items , i think they hurt you more than HELP. Like the others who post when they unload on here, THEY PARK SOON AS POSSIBLE and get to SLEEP . They do this for a reason, NOT just for beauty rest .
chefdennis
Veteran Expediter
As much as possible...i'd much rather drive after midnight then any other time.....Chicago is a breeze at 2 am verus 5 pm....
K
karenhill164
Guest
I nearly fell asleep behind the wheel the other day but i had my anti sleep alarm on and it sounded so i pulled over and had a break. They are not that expensive and i got mine from NO NAP
nightcreacher
Veteran Expediter
True expedite loads happen 'cause someone screws up.Thats why most of them get offered late in the afternoon,meaning your goimg to run all night for next morning delivery.
Probably 70% night driving, which I prefer. [As Chef mentioned, major cities are better at night, which is why I'm planning to arrive in Atlanta after midnight tonight], and it's also better for listening to whatever you use to keep alert. Audiobooks are all I use, and I'm fortunate to have never come close to falling asleep at the wheel. Instead of getting sleepy, I find my eyes going in & out of focus when it's time to nap , [and that's if I ignore the first sign of fatigue, which is irritability.]
'Know thyself' is really good advice, since we're like snowflakes: all the same, but all different.
'Know thyself' is really good advice, since we're like snowflakes: all the same, but all different.
Excellent advice! While the regulatory community can't seem to let go of the idea that one size fits all in sleep management and hours of service, we drivers can. Pay attention to YOUR body. Get to know the signs that indicate you are getting tired and adjust your behavior to be safe.
You got that right Phil. We could manage our time much better when we could do 5 hours on and 5 off. They should just let US decide how we should run. Set a limit 10 hours a day what ever and let us decide how to fit in the rest and driving as needed. We DO know better what our bodies need compared to the government and so-called "safety" groups.
bryanvolsfan
Seasoned Expediter
80% of all my loads are delivered the next morning by 7 or 8 am. I prefer driving at night for the same reasons as mentioned by others. Every major city is a breeze to go through at night, even though Chicago seems to always have traffic at anytime! I enjoy driving at night because I think city skylines are much more beautiful when they are all lit up.
comet_4298
Seasoned Expediter
They keep you up all days with phone calls,then after all that you run all night on the one you took all day trying to get!!!!
mypie
Seasoned Expediter
The secret to Chicago, no matter what time of day it is, is I-355. It costs a bit in tolls but it pays for itself in time and less aggrevation.
Freightdawg
Expert Expediter
Become an expediter and see the country... at night.
In the words of Willie Nelson...
The night life ain't no good life, but it's my life!
. I dunno why, but the human body really wasn't designed to be up at night constantly.[/QUOTE]
I know why: because the human body was designed long before gas & electric lighting made it possible to be up at night constantly.
We weren't designed to spend the majority of our awake time in a sitting position, either, but we seem to have adapted to that, more or less.
I know why: because the human body was designed long before gas & electric lighting made it possible to be up at night constantly.
We weren't designed to spend the majority of our awake time in a sitting position, either, but we seem to have adapted to that, more or less.
Doggie Daddy
Veteran Expediter
That's what I knew when I put in 13 years in a factory on 3rd shift,before getting enough seniority to get to 1st.