Question:
Having a bit of trouble with ETA's required by my company before leaving on each load. Is 50 mph a good average to use on long haul based on a truck tghat will go about 67? My inclination is to tell them "Ill let you know when I get there" lol.... But that won't fly.... I know there are alot of variables and seems like every load is different . Weight, where your going, road conditions, weather, construction etc. Can anyone help? Thanks in advance
Answer:
Yeah, 50 mph is a good starting point. Although if you're gonna be running a lot of 2 lanes with a bunch of small towns, lower that to 40 mph.
Once you figure how many hours it'll take you, add 1-2 hours and give them that number (to allow for traffic or minor delays).
eg.......Des Moines IA to Minneapolis MN.......
252 miles...............4 hours 51 minutes (based on 50 mph)
Add an hour and you should be ok.

Answer:
Accidental Tourist, 50mph is good, i do my trip plans at that speed and i always end up at the consignee way b4, the time i told them i was going to b there, even if leave later than i thought i was going to leave i end up at my destination ealry. so 50 is good, just make sure u keep rolling don't play around and u should have no problem getting to ur consignee. But i think 50mph is good for trip plan.

Answer:
Hey Hoss I like the idea of adding a couple of hours to the 50 mph average. Seems like the number of hours to add would depend on the how many total miles the trip though..... do you think something like 1 hrs per thousand miles would work out?
Answer:
I use the formula as follows: 1.2 X dispatched miles/50 = hours to drive. Then I add on the 10 hour breaks, Vehicle checks, fuel stops, lunch breaks, etc., etc.. that are needed. I very rarley plan to drive more than 450 miles a day, especially if I am driving via the "fence-post" express.
This gives me a very good Idea of how long it should take me. Normally, I have fudged a little and arrive early at my destination, but that dosen't hurt the PR with the customers at all.
Once winter weather sets in, I will up the multiplier to 1.4 to allow for road conditions but that's all.I ride for those who can't! POW/MIA - You are NOT forgotten!!
Lead, Follow or get out of my way!!!

Answer:

Never heard it called that before!
2 lanes are usually pretty good, but they take time......lots of it!
The 1.2 & 1.4 x miles is a pretty darn good 'calculator'.
Fence post express...............

Answer:

Maybe change that to 1 hour per every 500 miles.
There's way too many variables when you start trying to figure out timing to the minute.
That's why I get on our 'Customer Service' rep.........she can run the miles on her computer all day long and they're usually pretty close, but she has no control over traffic, road conditions, weather, how tired I may be, if I need fuel...................etc....................
Know what I mean?
Appointments usually do NOT work doing LTL work like I do........especially when I have like 8-15 stops, spread 1/2 way across the country, on the load.
Set my first appointment, then let me take it from there.

Answer:
Here is what I always did:
Primarily interstate travel: 50 mph average and then I would add 1 hour "get lost time" to the total. (This will give you a rough estimate for travel time). Then for every 10 hours of travel time add in your breaks.
For mainly state routes or anything close to 50% of trip on 2 lane I would figure it at 45 mph average speed and add in 2 hours get lost time.
Of course you can always stop and give a new eta if need be.
Answer:
Thanks for the calculator, UnkaD! Calculating ETAs is something I still am having trouble with. I usually try to plan slop time in there, but even so, I have problems. One of my biggest is loading and securing/tarping time. I may get loaded in a 1/2 hour, take an hour or so to secure and tarp; the next time it will be two hours before they start loading and two or more hours to secure and tarp. I seem to consistently overestimate what I can do or drive in a given amount of time, even using the 50mph for time figuring. I will miss a turn, or get stuck in traffic or construction, or the opti-joke highways will be worse than they look in the atlas. I still let myself feel too pressured to make an early ETA; although my dispatcher seems to be really understanding about this, I'd like to be able to give an achievable estimate more often than I do now. I wouldn't have nearly as much trouble if I was willing to fudge on my logbook, but that's one promise I made to myself going into this - I will log it by the book, even if it is costing me compared to what I could do if I got "creative". I've heard plenty of suggestions - never log more than X minutes for tarping, no matter how long it really takes you, log miles instead of hours, etc. Sorry, but it ain't gonna happen. The only person who loses if something goes wrong is me, and my CDL is more valuable to me than anybody's freight or ETA.
PP
Answer:
I figure 45-50MPH speed depending on where I am running. Then I factor in 10 hour break (if needed), and about an hour freetime for every 4-5 driven. That way, I have time to stop for meals, etc.
And of course, if at some point during the trip, things change, just shoot your dispatcher an updated ETA.
Of course, there are some days you will feel like leaving the "an updated ETA" off of my last sentence...
Answer:
The first question you need to know is how many miles is the load. Average 50 MPH. When you reach 500 mi, figure in a 10 hr break. So if you have a trip of 1637 mi it will take you aprox, 53 hrs to run. 1637 divided by 50= 33hrs + (2, 10 hr breaks= 20) all total 53hrs. So if you leave a shipper at 9/6/04, 0900hr, you should arrive at the consignee at 9/8/04, 1400hrs. Other variables you would take into concideration is weather. Time of day you go thru certant cities. If you follow above formula. you should be early 99% of the time.
Answer:

That's where a lot of us get into trouble, myself included. I'm probably the worst estimater of time.
I'll tell 'em one time and I'll end up 2-3 hours later than that. No matter, they'll still need the stuff when I get there.

Answer:

Here in Okiehomie we estimate our run as follow:
Dispatcher: when you gonna get there
Driver: On time based on Indian Time
Dispatcher: What the H**l is Indian Time !!!!!
Driver: The load will get there when it gets there ''


Answer:
Oh yeah - another thing I was getting messed up on. When I would do the 50 mph and 10 hour break figuring, I usually forgot to add in other break time - getting lunch, taking a stretch, time for a fuel stop, etc. I don't know about others, but I sure as heck can't drive 10 or 11, sbreak for 10, drive 10 or 11, and so on.
PP
Answer:
When I first started driving I was told to do this. Take the dispatched miles and add 10% to them. Then divide the milage by 50mph. Then add 10% to the drive time. Then throw in the required breaks for fuel and sleep. Doing it this way has always worked I have never been later than 15 minutes early. If going thru Chicago add 2 more hours.