It’s one of the most common questions in the transportation industry: How long will it take to transport freight from Point A to Point B? The answer is that it depends — and yes, we can hear your groaning from here! It’s not the answer any shipper wants, but it’s the truth. When dealing with so many variables — origin location, destination location, weather, and traffic, just to name a few — it’s hard to give a firm answer. But many people aren’t aware of one of the biggest, most critical variables at play in this equation: truck driver Hours of Service (HOS). Truck drivers have a limited number of hours they can spend behind the wheel each day, which can be a major factor in total transit time. But the rules regarding HOS can be tricky to understand. That’s where we come in! The Anderson Trucking Service (ATS) team has decades of experience in the trucking industry, so we understand that safe, legal driving practices are of the utmost importance — and that includes understanding and abiding by driver HOS regulations. Read on to discover the factors that impact daily miles, how shippers can increase daily distance, and estimates of how far a driver is allowed to drive in one day. First things first, let’s do a little myth-busting: Drivers are not limited by the number of miles they can drive per day, they are limited by the number of hours they spend behind the wheel and doing other related tasks during their day. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) set truck driver Hours of Service (HOS) regulations, which all U.S. truckers must follow. These limits are the single most important factor that determines how many miles a driver can travel in one day. They include: Drivers use electronic logging devices (ELDs) to track the amount of time they spend driving each day. Responsible drivers take these limits seriously and do not try to break any of these safety regulations.How Many Hours Is a Trucker Allowed to Drive in One Day?
How Many Miles Can Truckers Drive in a Day?
Now that you know the limits of truck driver HOS, your mind has probably already started whirring, trying to figure out how that translates into miles driven.
So let’s talk about it.
At most, a driver can spend 11 hours a day driving. Many trucking companies rely on “governors,” which caps the driver’s speed at 65 miles per hour (mph).
If a driver traveled at 65 mph for their full 11-hour daily driving maximum, they’d cover 715 miles that day. To put that into perspective, the entire state of Montana is 630 miles wide.
Buuuuut, drivers very rarely drive an empty interstate at a steady 65 mph for 11 hours straight.
After you factor in the speed variability of the streets in cities and towns, stopping points like traffic lights and stop signs, and the constant ebb and flow of congestion, the average speed for truckers is more like 50 mph.
The time attributed to other truck driver job duties also play a part in calculating how many miles a trucker can travel in a day.
It goes without saying that drivers spend the majority of their day driving, but there are many other duties that must be accomplished within their daily 14-hour on-duty window, including:
- Pre-trip inspection
- Planning their route
- Fueling up
- Loading/unloading time
- Tarping and securing freight
- Ongoing training
Related Content: How Does a Trucking Company Determine Your Shipment's Route?
While drivers usually aren’t paid for these tasks (most drivers are paid by the mile), they still eat into their driving time for the day.
With all that said, after accounting for the time invested in critical (but non-driving) tasks, we find that most drivers can drive about 500 miles per day.
What Delays Truck Drivers?
The number we provided above is a general estimate under normal circ*mstances. But if you’ve been in the transportation industry for any amount of time, you know that things don’t always go as planned.
There are circ*mstances beyond essential non-driving tasks — and beyond a driver’s control — that can make it difficult or downright impossible to travel 500 miles per day.
These considerations can translate to longer transit times, but an experienced transportation provider should be able to anticipate some of these elements and build them into your timeline.
Empty Miles/Deadheading
A driver’s 11- and 14-hour limits include all time they’re behind the wheel, regardless of whether they’re hauling freight.
If the driver has to travel to your location, that is time burned not getting freight closer to its destination.
But there is good news: As a shipper, you can help mitigate this by allowing for some flexibility in your scheduling.
If you can give the carrier a flexible window of arrival time, it can help them source a truck closer to your location, which can lead to fewer empty miles.
Furthermore, if it’s possible for you to allow your driver to overnight onsite, do so. This allows them to start their clock at your location, which leaves them plenty of time to load without burning hours.
Weather
Weather is the ultimate uncontrollable variable.
Weather delays can be as short as a few minutes or as long as several days, and inclement weather can often come on without much warning.
And even if it’s 70 degrees and sunny in your location, you can still be impacted by weather if the driver is coming from a wintery area.
Icy and snowy roads will cause a driver to drive more slowly (or even stop) for their safety, the safety of their freight, and of everyone else on the road.
Ultimately, there’s no way to work around or mitigate the impact of weather delays (unless you have a direct line to Mother Nature), so it’s best to simply keep an eye on the relevant forecasts and give your drivers a bit of grace.
Road Construction
Similar to traffic, time spent waiting for road construction is time that counts as driving — without making much progress toward the destination.
In areas that experience a change in the seasons (i.e. the Midwest and northeast), road construction comes in with the spring thaw and goes out with the first frost.
Summer months are therefore the most common time for drivers to be delayed by construction and detours in these regions; in areas that experience mild, warm weather year-round, the prevalence of road construction will depend more on local projects and their timelines.
To that end: Remember that most drivers won’t be local to your area and will likely not be aware of road closures or detours due to construction.
If you’d like to help mitigate delays in the final stretch of your driver’s journey, be sure to communicate any major road construction projects in your area to your transportation provider.
They’ll be able to check your tips against your driver’s route and help them plan accordingly, which can ultimately help the driver save a significant amount of time.
Geography
In some parts of the country, freight can travel more quickly than in other areas.
Typically, drivers encounter more traffic when traveling through or near large cities, which translates to slower travel. Drivers will try to avoid cities during regular commuter hours, but sometimes those delays just have to be endured.
And here’s an interesting fact: Freight traveling in the eastern part of the U.S. is less likely to travel at a steady 50 mph.
Why? Older infrastructure, more compact roads, and greater population density mean more stopping and starting, which results in fewer opportunities to get up to speed.
In the western part of the country, it’s a different story. Newer, wider roads, fewer drivers, and more space between cities means a driver may exceed the 500-mile-a-day average.
It’s important to note that these limits apply to legal freight. Over-dimensional (OD) loads will travel more slowly in nearly all circ*mstances.
Over-Dimensional Cargo
Permitted freighthas extra restrictions and regulations around its movement, which means it often travels slower than legal freight.
Some factors that can impact oversize freight are:
- Restricted Travel Hours. In many states, OD freight can only travel during daylight hours — and not at all on holidays and weekends
- Less Direct Routes. Bridge heights and other restrictions may require oversize freight to travel on side roads or other slower routes.
- Escorts. In some jurisdictions, loads larger than a certain size must travel with an escort vehicle. While the escort can also make good time, traveling with an additional vehicle will slow things down.
No matter the size of your freight, it’s important to work with your transportation carrier to understand the estimated timing of your haul. They may also be able to make suggestions to help your freight travel more quickly and smoothly.
What If My Freight Needs to Travel More Than 500 Miles in a Day?
If a critical load absolutely needs to travel more than 500 miles in one day, the most effective solution is team drivers.
As the name implies, “team drivers” are two Class-A CDL-licensed drivers who work together, alternating their shifts behind the wheel to keep the truck moving during required breaks.
It’s important to note that team drivers still have rest periods when the truck isn’t moving. But that’s still twice as much drive time in a day, which can get you freight that much further along in its journey — at least under ideal circ*mstances.
Of course, an extra driver amounts to extra costs. Expect to pay 30 to 40 percent more for a team driver load.
While it’s true that team drivers are the only way to achieve 1,000 miles in a day, there are some smaller ways to help your driver maximize their allowed drive time.
How to Move Your Freight Farther, Faster
The more time a driver can spend on the road, the faster your cargo will move.
As a shipper, you have an opportunity to help set drivers up for a smooth, successful run. By taking a few proactive steps in advance of any freight movement, you can facilitate a more seamless experience for all involved.
Prepare Before the Driver Arrives
Time spent waiting for your freight to be ready, waiting on paperwork, or waiting for your crew to return from a break is time that adds to a driver’s HOS without moving the load forward.
Loading and unloading is an unavoidable delay, but being prepared for your driver’s arrival can help speed things along. Getting your ducks in a row will go a long way toward getting your trucks in a row, believe us.
On another note, if you can allow the driver access to your amenities, that’s one less stop they have to make. It’s not an official break, but drivers are human with human needs, and it’s a nice gesture.
Know Your Network
This is another area where flexibility can make a big difference.
If you know you’re close to the driver’s last destination or their domicile — and your load can wait until tomorrow (when the driver has their full 11 hours of driving left) — waiting can actually save you time and money in the long term, as the driver won’t have to burn hours getting to you.
Consider the Variables
If you’re aware of weather or road construction in your area that will likely cause delays, communicate that to your carrier as soon as possible.
In case of severe weather, they may decide to move your freight before or after the storm — even if that means bringing it to a warehousing facility until your customer is ready.
Communicate
Communication is critical in the trucking industry, and not just between dispatchers and drivers. Shippers have a responsibility to communicate well with their transportation provider, too.
The more detail you can provide about your shipment (think dates, times, freight type, dimensions, piece count, exact addresses, equipment needs, etc.) the better off you and your driver will be.
There’s no benefit to holding back, and providing clear written communication will always help you.
Sharing your expectations and all relevant information with your carrier will help them plan the best route possible. This planning and preparation will maximize the number of miles your freight can travel in one day.
Is Your Carrier Going the Distance for You?
Clearly, determining how far a trucker can go in a day isn’t an exact science. The good news is that experience has provided a safe estimate: Industry experts have used their hands-on data to find that most drivers can travel about 500 miles each day.
This estimate accounts for federal drive time restrictions and regulations, in addition to other, less set-in-stone factors that can slow a driver down, like loading time, inclement weather, traffic, and more.
Shippers increase the number of miles their freight travels each day by utilizing team drivers. This tag-team approach is safe, legal, and efficient — though it does cost more than relying on just one driver.
If team drivers aren’t in your transportation budget, there are a few simple steps you can take to help maximize the driver’s time. Being prepared for their arrival, offering flexibility in scheduling, and practicing clear, consistent communication with your carrier can all facilitate a more efficient flow.
Of course, choosing an experienced, reliable transportation provider can help you get the most bang for your buck.
Download our free Freight Carrier Selection Checklist to get a simple, actionable rubric for vetting potential carriers.
It’ll help you narrow down your search to the carriers that best fit your specific needs, so the loads they haul for you will be positioned for success from the very beginning of your relationship.
Tags:Transportation Solutions,Freight Brokerage,Heavy Haul Shipping,Flatbed Shipping,Specialized Shipping,Route Planning,Oversized Shipping,Heavy Haul Trucking,Over Dimensional Shipping,Dry Van Shipping,Truck Driver Shortage
Written by Andrew Beckmann
Andrew has been in operations since he started as an intern at ATS in 2012. He’s been managing operations teams since 2015 and now focuses on supporting the logistics offices outside of the St. Cloud, Minnesota corporate office.
