Driveaway getting home works differently than in traditional trucking. You leave the truck at the delivery, so you need another way home or to your next load. At Norton, you don’t figure that out alone: our dedicated in-house travel department works like a travel agency within the company and helps plan every step of the trip.
Why Getting Home Is Part of the Job
In traditional trucking, your truck comes home with you. In driveaway, the truck is the delivery, so once it’s signed for, it stays. Every load has two parts: the drive, and the trip that comes after it. How well that second trip goes shapes your whole week. If you’re new to the cycle, read how driveaway works.
Norton’s In-House Travel Department
This is where Norton stands apart. Norton has a dedicated in-house travel department that works like a travel agency within the company. When you finish a delivery, they help plan every step of your trip home or to your next load, so you can focus on driving instead of piecing together itineraries on your phone at a truck stop.
- Built in-house. The travel team is part of Norton, not an outside booking service.
- Every step covered. From the delivery location to your front door or your next pickup.
- Part of a bigger support system. Your dedicated dispatcher and 24/7 support are there too.
Driveaway Getting Home: How Drivers Plan It
Across the industry, driveaway drivers rely on a mix of public transportation, rental vehicles, and smart load planning to get where they’re going next. Some also use a tow-behind setup where it’s allowed. The common thread is planning: the best drivers think about the trip after the drop before they ever accept the load.
Chain Your Loads
The most efficient trip home is often a load that’s headed your way. With no forced dispatch at Norton, you can request loads that route you toward home or toward the next opportunity.
Plan Before You Accept
Look at where the load delivers and how you’ll get out of there before you commit. A great load into a hard-to-leave spot can cost you a day.
Travel Light
Drivers who live out of one bag move through airports and stations faster. Keep essentials, chargers, and paperwork organized and easy to reach.
Tips From Experienced Drivers
- Build a cushion into your travel plans for delays
- Keep receipts and records for every trip.
- Know the delivery area before you get there
- Stay in touch with your dispatcher and the travel team
- Rest when you can. You’ll be driving again soon.
Home Time on Your Terms
Because Norton doesn’t force dispatch, you choose the loads you want, when you want them. You can see the country or stay closer to home. That control, plus help from the travel department, is what makes driveaway home time workable. For more on what this means for your earnings, see driveaway driver pay.
When you plan driveaway getting home trips, keep the federal FMCSA hours-of-service rules in mind as you line up your next load.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do driveaway drivers get home?
Driveaway drivers leave the vehicle at its destination and travel home or to the next pickup. At Norton, a dedicated in-house travel department helps plan every step of that trip.
What is Norton’s travel department?
It’s a dedicated in-house team that works like a travel agency within the company, helping Norton drivers plan every step of the trip home or to their next load.
What is a tow-behind in driveaway?
A tow-behind is a small personal vehicle a driver tows behind the unit they’re delivering, so they have their own ride after the drop. It’s only an option when the carrier, the customer, and the equipment allow it.
How do drivers avoid long trips between loads?
Experienced drivers look for their next pickup near their last delivery and plan travel before accepting a load, which cuts down on time spent traveling instead of driving.
Can I choose loads that get me home?
Yes. Norton has no forced dispatch, so you can request loads that route you toward home when you want time off.
Hear From Real Driveaway Drivers
Want the unfiltered version? These Six-Figure Trucker podcast episodes feature drivers who do this work every day:
- EP165: Tow-Behind Tricks Every Driveaway Driver Should Know with Phillip Miller. Phillip Miller shares tow-behind tricks every driveaway driver should know.
- EP75: Tow-Behind is Where It’s At with Donnie Vivier. Donnie Vivier on why tow-behind is where it’s at.
- EP120: Precision Planning: Peter Rizzo’s Formula for Driveaway Success. Peter Rizzo on the precision planning behind his driveaway success.
- EP115: Trust and Teamwork: Inside Raphael Hempstead’s Partnership with His Dispatcher. Raphael Hempstead on trust and teamwork with his dispatcher.
Driveaway getting home is easier with a team behind you. Apply to drive with Norton Transport and let our travel department help plan the trip. More guides are in our driveaway resources. Prefer to talk first? Email onboarding@nortontransport.com or call (423) 617-0218.