Trip Planning Still Kicking My Butt

[Rookie Roller]

So I’m getting a little better out here, but trip planning still feels like playing chess while the board’s on fire.
I’ll think I’ve got it all mapped out, then hit construction, get held up at a shipper, and suddenly I’m racing the clock to find parking.


How long did it take y’all before trip planning started to feel natural?
Do most of you plan every stop ahead, or just roll until you’re close and start looking?

 

[gearjammer]

So I’m getting a little better out here, but trip planning still feels like playing chess while the board’s on fire.
I’ll think I’ve got it all mapped out, then hit construction, get held up at a shipper, and suddenly I’m racing the clock to find parking.


How long did it take y’all before trip planning started to feel natural?
Do most of you plan every stop ahead, or just roll until you’re close and start looking?

welcome to the wonderful world of truckin!

 

[RoadRunnerRick]

So I’m getting a little better out here, but trip planning still feels like playing chess while the board’s on fire.
I’ll think I’ve got it all mapped out, then hit construction, get held up at a shipper, and suddenly I’m racing the clock to find parking.


How long did it take y’all before trip planning started to feel natural?
Do most of you plan every stop ahead, or just roll until you’re close and start looking?

Don’t sweat it, man. Trip planning kicks everybody’s butt at first.
Took me a good year before I stopped second-guessing myself all the time.


What helped me was planning loose, not perfect. I pick a rough spot to stop for the night, then keep 2–3 backups in mind in case the day goes sideways — which it usually does.


You’ll get a feel for how long stuff actually takes once you’ve had a few more bad days. That’s just trucking.


Hang in there. You’ll be planning like it’s second nature before long.

 

[Duck]

So I’m getting a little better out here, but trip planning still feels like playing chess while the board’s on fire.
I’ll think I’ve got it all mapped out, then hit construction, get held up at a shipper, and suddenly I’m racing the clock to find parking.


How long did it take y’all before trip planning started to feel natural?
Do most of you plan every stop ahead, or just roll until you’re close and start looking?

I start at my delivery appointment time and work backwards, factoring a 50 mph average, HOS rules, fuel stops, etc and plan to arrive ten hours early.

 

[RoadRunnerRick]

I work backwards

That's very cajun of ya'!

 

[Duck]

That's very cajun of ya'!

Well, I'm not Cajun but my favorite species of tree is native to the gulf coast. Does that count for anything ?

 

[Rookie Roller]

Don’t sweat it, man. Trip planning kicks everybody’s butt at first.
Took me a good year before I stopped second-guessing myself all the time.


What helped me was planning loose, not perfect. I pick a rough spot to stop for the night, then keep 2–3 backups in mind in case the day goes sideways — which it usually does.


You’ll get a feel for how long stuff actually takes once you’ve had a few more bad days. That’s just trucking.


Hang in there. You’ll be planning like it’s second nature before long.

Appreciate that, Rick. Makes me feel better knowing it took you a while too.

I’ve been trying to plan everything down to the minute, and it just blows up in my face when a shipper drags their feet or I hit construction.

When you say you keep a couple backup spots in mind — are you talking truck stops, rest areas, or just any place that looks safe?

I’m still learning what’s okay to use and what isn’t.

 

[Rookie Roller]

I start at my delivery appointment time and work backwards, factoring a 50 mph average, HOS rules, fuel stops, etc and plan to arrive ten hours early.

My truck runs 64, should I still use a 50 MPH average?

 

[Duck]

My truck runs 64, should I still use a 50 MPH average?

Yeah.

Our trip planners who set appointment times did it with a 50 mph average for our 65 mph trucks.

That's how you accommodate traffic and other delays.

 

[cabinover]

I start at my delivery appointment time and work backwards, factoring a 50 mph average, HOS rules, fuel stops, etc and plan to arrive ten hours early.

50mph average? I'd arrive 48 hours early! You drive for Prime?

 

[Duck]

50mph average? I'd arrive 48 hours early! You drive for Prime?

The company's "load planners" set the pickup and delivery times based on a 50 mph average.

But in the refrigerated food business, shippers (ours were mostly meat packing plants in the Midwest) almost never have a trailer loaded & billed on time, and that 50 mph average is the only way to absorb the delays. They absolutely hate rescheduling deliveries no matter how late it was loaded.

 

[Rigjockey]

The company's "load planners" set the pickup and delivery times based on a 50 mph average.

But in the refrigerated food business, shippers (ours were mostly meat packing plants in the Midwest) almost never have a trailer loaded & billed on time, and that 50 mph average is the only way to absorb the delays. They absolutely hate rescheduling deliveries no matter how late it was loaded.

50 MPH average is typical planning. I rarely had late arrival using the 50 MPH method. I did like you did and worked back from the appointment time averaging 50 MPH and worked in the ten-hour breaks. Sure, you will be early, but you won't be late. the last thing you want to be is "a work in" (they'll get to you when they get to you. Unless they need what, you have really bad).

 

[Electric Chicken]

US Xpress did it on 45mph for the newbies.

 

[Electric Chicken]

I didn't really have to plan yesterday but my estimates for time were way off. I thought he would be an easy 8-9 hour day but it was 11, a little over 12 counting the detour to meet my mom for food that I thought I'd have PLENTY of time for.

And that was just local 39 mile runs.

I forgot about the leg to get my empty. 3x. And underestimated how long a drop and hook would take. 3x.

I literally almost had to sleep in my truck for the first time because of doing super short stuff. Go figure.