Part 2 of 3
In part 2 of our series on Trip Plans The Easy Way for Truck Driving School Students we are going to look at the basic principals needed to track your trips. In truck driving school this principal is often called the key to making more money. With that goal in mind we wanted to provide you with a few tips to help you track your trips so that you can meet the goals of a profitable well planned trip.
Tracking your trips can be the key factor in making more money from each load. When you look at your daily logs you will be able to recognize areas where you can improve and make more money for your self. You will also be able to identify areas where you may be losing money.
Your daily logs can act as a business record and they can be used to improve profitability and do more than just keep the Department of Transportation from ticketing you. They can also be a valuable tool when it comes to tracking your trips.
Here is how your logs will help you track your trips:
Remember that the more accurate you keep your log books the more accurate your current and future plans will be. No one wants to make a plan that includes 9 hours of driving when they only have 6 hours of driving left when they get to that part of the plan. Also, past experiences can help you plan as well. If you know that 7am traffic in Phoenix always takes an extra half our or so, you can plan for it because you will know where you have been and when.
Another way that good logs can be a tool for you is when you compare your “hub” miles with the miles your getting paid for. Looking at this will teach you what the real cost of your empty miles is.
Use logs to help you keep track of maintenance and repairs. This will help you budget for expenses. Some drivers know just about how many miles it will be until the need new tires. If you could get new tires before you pick up a load, you will avoid accidents or waiting around for road service while under a load. This will save you money in the long run and may even keep you alive.
When you look at your logs as a tool for trip tracking you will see more profitability. We will look at On-time Service and how it affects other parts of trip planning in part 3 of this series of Trip Plans The Easy Way Continued. Even though you may still be in truck driving school, this article and the article to follow will help you develop into a profitable driver.
