Rural route or in town?

ajax25

Well-Known Member
Just for something to talk about,

Which do you prefer?

I think there are several factors that can make you love or hate one or the other.

Rural routes- less stops, less physical work, easier on your body but they tend to be harder to get done early or make up time on if you get behind. Also, the weather can often make or break your day especially in the winter time with snow. Highly unlikely you get sent any help on a high volume day. Also I have noticed that management tends to leave the guys doing rural routes alone for the most part (at least here)

In town- more stops, less miles, harder on your body but you can control your day a little more in terms of speed up or slow down to stay on time and you likely don’t get affected by the weather nearly as much. You are also more likely to receive help on high volume days.

I personally prefer the rural routes. Give me 45-90 stops and 100-300 miles (depending on the route) over 150-250 stops and 30-60 miles any day of the week.

However I know several drivers who absolutely hate doing rural routes so I was curious what the majority of drivers thought.
 

Brownslave688

You want a toe? I can get you a toe.
Just for something to talk about,

Which do you prefer?

I think there are several factors that can make you love or hate one or the other.

Rural routes- less stops, less physical work, easier on your body but they tend to be harder to get done early or make up time on if you get behind. Also, the weather can often make or break your day especially in the winter time with snow. Highly unlikely you get sent any help on a high volume day. Also I have noticed that management tends to leave the guys doing rural routes alone for the most part (at least here)

In town- more stops, less miles, harder on your body but you can control your day a little more in terms of speed up or slow down to stay on time and you likely don’t get affected by the weather nearly as much. You are also more likely to receive help on high volume days.

I personally prefer the rural routes. Give me 45-90 stops and 100-300 miles (depending on the route) over 150-250 stops and 30-60 miles any day of the week.

However I know several drivers who absolutely hate doing rural routes so I was curious what the majority of drivers thought.
Sounds like you’re running pretty easy routes either way :)


I ran 200 miles and over 100 stops yesterday.
 

Boston25

Well-Known Member
Just for something to talk about,

Which do you prefer?

I think there are several factors that can make you love or hate one or the other.

Rural routes- less stops, less physical work, easier on your body but they tend to be harder to get done early or make up time on if you get behind. Also, the weather can often make or break your day especially in the winter time with snow. Highly unlikely you get sent any help on a high volume day. Also I have noticed that management tends to leave the guys doing rural routes alone for the most part (at least here)

In town- more stops, less miles, harder on your body but you can control your day a little more in terms of speed up or slow down to stay on time and you likely don’t get affected by the weather nearly as much. You are also more likely to receive help on high volume days.

I personally prefer the rural routes. Give me 45-90 stops and 100-300 miles (depending on the route) over 150-250 stops and 30-60 miles any day of the week.

However I know several drivers who absolutely hate doing rural routes so I was curious what the majority of drivers thought.
I prefer a rural route. There's a few in town routes I have done that I enjoy but I would rather a rural route.
 

PeakMode

Arrive Peak Leave
I would prefer an in town route with more stops during peak and a rural route during summer. It just comes down to how many pickups and knowledge of the area.
 

JustDeliverIt

Well-Known Member
I don't care where the route is, just don't want any/few pick ups. When you have the work with you and don't have to break off to do pick ups all over town, I like those the best.
 

eats packages

Deranged lunatic
Might just boil down to the diversity of what the route offers. Delivering down a bunch of dense urban neighborhoods is probably the easiest but perhaps also a bit boring.

You either love or hate downtown. Pickups and parking in general are intense, but stay long enough and your customers will become your best friends.
 

ajax25

Well-Known Member
Just for something to talk about,

Which do you prefer?

I think there are several factors that can make you love or hate one or the other.

Rural routes- less stops, less physical work, easier on your body but they tend to be harder to get done early or make up time on if you get behind. Also, the weather can often make or break your day especially in the winter time with snow. Highly unlikely you get sent any help on a high volume day. Also I have noticed that management tends to leave the guys doing rural routes alone for the most part (at least here)

In town- more stops, less miles, harder on your body but you can control your day a little more in terms of speed up or slow down to stay on time and you likely don’t get affected by the weather nearly as much. You are also more likely to receive help on high volume days.

I personally prefer the rural routes. Give me 45-90 stops and 100-300 miles (depending on the route) over 150-250 stops and 30-60 miles any day of the week.

However I know several drivers who absolutely hate doing rural routes so I was curious what the majority of drivers thought.
Sounds like you’re running pretty easy routes either way :)


I ran 200 miles and over 100 stops yesterday.

We have those routes too but they are not your typical extended/ rural route just like not all in town routes are the same. I’m a full time cover driver so I do some of both. For example just this week I did a route of 225 in town resi stops and the next day I drove just under 300 miles and did 45 stops in the middle of knowhere. Both are a 9-10 hr day
 

iowa boy

Well-Known Member
Rural routes all the way. Way too many idiots and a-holes around here where I live, and everyone is late and in a hurry.

Small town delivery is way less stressful and the people make your job more enjoyable.
 

JL 0513

Well-Known Member
I'm on the coast, no such thing as rural. Highest mileage routes in my center are 100 miles. Furthest route from center is about 18 minutes.
 

MC0493

Well-Known Member
Really depends how I feel and what the weather is like. Our in town routes can push towards 250 and maybe 60 miles while rural routes are 120-150 and 110-170 miles. I like driving and generally prefer the easier work of rural routes, but obviously snow completely kills those routes. I kind of agree, in town routes for winter and rural for the summer, i'm still a split driver for the time being.
 

rod

Retired 22 years
In my day I ran about 140 miles, a hundred ten stops with 20 pickups. The route was about 75% delivering in a small town and 25% rural. I did all that without some gizmo telling me what my next stop was or how many packages I had for it--------and no back up camera. Have I told you lately how tough we had it.
 

Days

Well-Known Member
Long term rural is always going to be better for your back and that’s all that matters.

Less stops, less stress is the way I see it
 

Netsua 3:16

AND THAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE
A rural route with lot's of miles no dirt roads and every stop is in a gated community with cul de sacs on every street would be ideal. I can appreciate the old man routes because it's easier on my body and very little/no pressure with air or pickups. But some of these driveways I've been going down on rural routes are a UPS driver's worst nightmare
 
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