Planning a long haul is the single most important part of the long haul itself! Without the proper planning, you can fall behind, miss your deadline altogether, or run into huge delays along the way. If you are ready to stop being surprised on the road, it’s time to start planning ahead. Here are out best tips for turning your next long haul into a successful road trip.
What Happens If You Don’t Plan?
The consequences of not planning for your long haul road trip can include:
- Completely running out of fuel
- Filling up your truck with too much fuel, making it overweight before scaling and delaying the trip
- Not passing any restaurants or truck stops along the way
- Not finding a truck stop or rest area to take a break for the night
- Not knowing how to find a good repair shop
- Ending up in unsafe and dangerous areas
- Spending too much money on the road due to extra miles from a poorly-planned route
Plan Ahead
When you are getting ready to hit the road, make sure that you have crossed the following off of your list:
- Looking at the total distance of the trip and estimating time at 38 mph to account for the various traffic, rest stops, and refueling stops along the way
- Set daily goals for your travel so that you know whether you are on track or running behind and can update your client
- Knowing where and when you plan on stopping for fuel to get the lowest possible price
- Planning what groceries you want to buy and where you’ll buy them from if you are not going to be stopping at restaurants or truck stop food markets
- Planning your route out in advance so that you know when to get on and off the highway and why (a low bridge, a maximum weight you won’t be able to meet, etc.)
- Always plan for more time than you think that you’ll need. In the worst case scenario, you’ll be early!
For All of Your Trucking Needs
Evan Transportation provides trucking and transportation services for clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. All of our drivers and staff are offered competitive salaries, benefits, and are guaranteed to be home every day. Interested in finding out more? Visit us online or give us a call at 443-673-3365. For even more information, visit us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Google+.