Trip Planning Still Kicking My Butt

[Electric Chicken]

I still suck. I can plan down to a few minutes on the same day but still can't figure out how tomorrow works.

 

[GAnthony]

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 forget the time zones you start at and pass thru..i am here on the east coast, and i have to go by my "home time zone", so by the time i got to Cali, i was always at least "up to" 3 hours early.

i never really did any major trip planning...all i'd do is map out my routes (pre-GPS days) using a Rand McNally truckers road atlas, jot down truck stops along the way, on mostly ALL interstate and toll roads. i tried to stay off state routes, and secondary roads. major interstates for me, nearly 98% of the times.

i was never a "truckstop driver", meaning i hardly stopped to play arcade or video games, like dipshits did, then they'd be complaining how they did not have enough time to get someplace.

i stopped when it was time to stop for the end of my hours, fueled, showered, ate, and slept.

when my 8 hours rest time was up, i go my breakfast, used the bathroom, and got going again.

i was NEVER late, always early, and as a result..?? got unloaded (or loaded) and off i went rather quickly.

road construction...?? time there can be handled if you pay attention to the cb radio, and maybe take an exit to another route, then jump back on again.

accidents..?? same thing

bad weather....?? park it for safety's sake, then get going again.

 

[mndriver]

Semper Gumby is the key.

ETA:…

You’ll find that what you will plan is; “I’ll get my fuel at ‘station X’ because that’s a fuel stop with cheap fuel and I like the showers.”

Your hard stops will be your deliveries and shipping appointments. Those are the ones you don’t screw up.

You’re late if you’re not there an hour early. The time they give you is the time the dock workers hit your tailgate. Not the time you’re handing the bills to the clerk.

Any other time you have is flexible. Generally based on driving 50 mph. What that means is you’d likely be driving 65 mph and that includes your rest area stops, fuel stops, 10-hour breaks etc. even tossing in an occasional flat tire.

Everything will depend on how well you can manage changes and unexpected events.