Interstate travel - best on weekend or weekdays?

[GpsyLady]

I will be traveling in the near future on I-70 from Pennsylvania to Colorado, taking 3 days, and have flexibility to leave on the weekend or weekday. Any opinions or comments on what days have heavier truck travel? I was thinking that the weekends would seem lighter and am trying to avoid times with more trucks. Thanks!

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

While most of the advice we give here on RoadTrip America is based on personal experience and observation, your question caused me to do a bit of research, delving into spreadsheets, charts, and other graphs compiled by a few representative state departments of transportation. I was surprised that they all pretty much agree on the same answer and it's the answer that my gut (and my own observations) would have thought to be the case. The fact is that trucking is for all intents and purposes a 24/7 operation. The rigs are simply too expensive to be allowed to sit idle, and there is no real downtime. There is a barely perceptible decline on Sunday, but that is the only day of the week with any real decrease, and that is only by about 10% or so. Nothing you'd really notice out on the road. There is a significant drop between the hours of midnight and 5:00 am, but that's probably not of much use to you. So, yes include Sunday in your travel days, but don't really expect any really meaningful decrease in truck traffic even then. Just be thankful those guys are bringing you the vast majority of the goods in your local stores.

AZBuck

[Lifemagician]

My preference is the complete opposite. I avoid weekends, and the weekend drivers some of whom think they own the road. From my experience driving back and forth across the country, the most courteous and considerate drivers on the road, are the professionals. And yes, on the whole - though not always - you will find fewer trucks on the road over the weekends.

Lifey

[glc]

A bigger concern to me is what time of day you will be hitting the larger cities, such as STL and KC. Weekday rush hours are a lot rougher than weekends.

If you are only taking 3 days - depending on where in PA and where in CO - you will very likely be driving in both the morning and evening rush somewhere.

[Foy]

Hello GpsyLady,

I concur with glc in that for your exact trip, I'd not worry about truck traffic and would instead try to avoid St Louis and Kansas City at either morning or evening rush hour.

My own observations echo AZBuck's: I don't notice more or less truck traffic on weekends vs weekdays. Urban/suburban traffic is generally far worse on weekdays than on weekends.

Foy

[GpsyLady]

Thank you all for replying. I've done this trip alone (daughter lives in CO) about 5 times and have been trying to compile my trip experiences to make it an "exact science"...ha ha! I agree with you all about avoiding rush hour (made that mistake once!). Other than choosing a good weather window, I guess it's time to start driving. Thanks for the research AZBuck!
Karen

[DonnaR57]

One additional comment: on weekends, you see less construction workers out and about.

Last year, we went from Central NJ (I-80) to eastern CO (Burlington) and took 3 days travel. First stop was around Springfield, OH, second stop in Columbia, MO, and then to Burlington. We went on to San Diego -- next stop was in Richfield UT, then home in San Diego. All days were between 500 and 600 miles, around 10-11 hours.


Donna

[GpsyLady]

Thanks, Donna. Great point about construction on weekends. I've come to the conclusion that weekday and weekend travel have both pros and cons, and I concur with Lifey about the non-professionals. I set my cruise control at 5 mph over and most cars pass me. But for some reason, they feel the need to pass then sit right in front of me then forget to give it gas. I have to brake, then pass, then resume my cruise. After that happens 2 or 3 times with the same car, I end up speeding up enough to get away from them. Very frustrating! I am a licensed boat captain and am very cognizant of safety and defensive operation of a vehicle or vessel. This site is very helpful, thanks!

[Southwest Dave]

I set my cruise control at 5 mph over and most cars pass me. But for some reason, they feel the need to pass then sit right in front of me then forget to give it gas. I have to brake, then pass, then resume my cruise. After that happens 2 or 3 times with the same car, I end up speeding up enough to get away from them. Very frustrating!

And theres me thinking that was unique to the UK ! LOL.

[Lifemagician]

And theres me thinking that was unique to the UK ! LOL.

I was thinking that it was unique to us downunder. Try handling it by setting your cruise just below the stated limit. Amazing how none of them want to slow down.

Lifey