Greetings all...

Being a new member here I would like to relate something I recently saw and ask the 'whys and wherefores'.

I'm not posting this to get flamed or attacked... I'm trying to understand before I make the jump into the playing field.

I've been giving some thought to becoming a truck driver for the past couple of years but didn't have the opportunity to do so. There is a chance I might be able to within the next year, if I decide to.

I was recently on a trip to SE Ohio and back (to NE Kansas) and I drove my car to save money. Because it was an older car (1990) that I'd only had since January, I didn't pile on the speed... I drove between about 62 and 65 the whole trip. I didn't want to take the chance of blowing the engine.

Along the trip I saw many trucks, of all different setups.

The 1 thing that sticks in my mind is the fact that almost none of the trucks (at least the ones going the same direction I was going at the time) obeyed the posted speed limits.

(Mind you, not many of the regular cars & trucks did either so I'm not trying to sound like I'm singling out the truckers.)

Almost the whole trip, the posted speed limit for trucks was 55 or 60, below the 60 to 70 for cars, etc.

Is this because the trucks are scheduled so tight that they have to speed in order to get their loads delivered on time? Or is this a general lack of caring for the law?

Also, there were a few times that I had trucks on my bumper (within 10' or so) and I was doing faster than their posted speed limit. After a while they finally went around me, but they shouldn't have had to if they were obeying the limits.

Am I just a 'stick in the mud' for complaining about speed limits? I've been driving for about 30 years and have never received any type of moving violation (and I aim to keep it that way )... why don't others feel the same way?

(BTW... I have about as much tact as a herd of elephants so please don't think this is an attack... I'm trying hard to word it 'tame')

Any thoughts are most welcome... I'm trying to learn what I can from you all so that I can make a better choice than without help.

Have a great weekend

I believe if you were on the interstate, the speed limit is not mostly 55 to 60 for trucks along that route.

Missouri-trucks have the same speed limit as cars.
Kansas-trucks have the same speed limit as cars.
Illinois-truck speed limit is 55.
Indiana-truck speed limit is 65.
Ohio-truck speed limit is 55.

If you were on 2 lane roads and were doing 62-63 then you would have been speeding as well. Most of those states have a 55 mph on 2 lane roads, except for Kansas.

How many trucks did you pass?

Run the speed limit if you want the fuel bonus, ignore it if you need to deliver fast.

__________________
He ain't wrong, he's just different, but his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right.

Hi Roadmedic...

Thanks for the reply... I couldn't remember which states had the lower speed limit. Yeah, IL, IN, and OH is where it happened, and it happened most between Indianapolis and Columbus. I didn't hardly have any problems in MO (as far as being tailgated).

I took Hwy 36 across MO, I-72 across IL, I-74 to Indianapolis, and I-70 to Columbus (OH).

As far as I remember, the speed limit along that route (for trucks) was either 55 or 60... I don't remember seeing a 65 limit (I'm not saying I'm 100% right... just that this is what I remember).

As far as passing trucks... I passed very few because I was going less than the speed limit. If the limit was 65 I was doing about 62, 60 - I was doing about 58, 70 - I was doing about 65.

Like I said... I'm trying to figure out if this is a common thing or am I just blowing smoke?

Thanks for the reply

Hi Moses and thanks for the reply...

By 'fuel bonus' do you mean the 'fuel saved' by driving slower?

Some companies will pay you for getting good fuel mileage. If you're an O/O it all comes out of your pocket anyway.

__________________
He ain't wrong, he's just different, but his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right.

Actually, on those routes, 36 across MO is same as car on the entire route. I-72 is 55. 74 and 70 are 65.

I am actually surprised, because alot of the trucking companies have their trucks turned down under 65. Most likely, they were owner/operators.

I run mostly at 62. I am passed by almost all the trucks. Most are running about 65.

I drive 62 to 65 mph and just watch everyone pass. Back in the eighties I drove a cab-over Freightliner from Indiana to California and back which top speed was 68 MPH. From Barstow CA to OK City the same big large cars would pass you up to 5 or 6 times. I would always laugh at the large car driver because he failed to thank that if he would slow down and stay out of the truck stops that his stress level would go down. Every time the same large car passed me would mean that his average speed was the same as mine and I was only doing 65 mph. And all the fuel they wasted. You would have to assume that they failed math in school. Or maybe he had one of those trucks that gets better fuel milage at 80 mph then 65. LOL

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People can make you or only if you let them.

Speed limits around here range from 60 to 65mph.. I can only do 60 so I guess no worries about speeding tickets..

I was running up 75 toward Oklahoma. Texas trooper pulled me over. Asked me if I knew what for. Looked him in the eye and said it wasn't speeding, the truck can't go fast enough to break the limit. He laughed and said it was because I had lost a mudflap. Told him last stop it was there. Gave me a warning and told me to have a nice day.