Driving for fuel mileage

Danny the trucker makes a couple of assumptions that may, or may not, skew the figures. For one thing, his numbers presume the fast driver will be using all of those extra hours in driving paid miles. Maybe. But I don't think more than half. I certainly can't accept Driver B will get 27K more miles in the same timeframe. Then too: Driver A is getting 7.4mpg, driver B all the way up to 6.2? (another skewed assumption. 70mph probably won't get you 6.2 unless you're hauling ping pong balls with a following wind)? That's a lot more difference than $.08/mile. Driver B will indeed divide his fixed costs, insurance, licenses, by more miles, but he'll surely incur more variable costs. Tires, PM services, like that. Mr. Trucker's figures somehow don't include these costs, and believe me when I say they add up.

I don't know, (can't count that high) how many times some rigs have zipped by me, only to see me cruise by at a stop sign/light, construction project, up a hill, or in traffic. I see these fast drivers get to a shipper/consignee ahead of me - only to show up early for their appointment and sit there waiting while I cruise in on time and straight to a door.
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Danny's figures don't include some other important factors. Road conditions, load conditions, weather, idling, temperature, and more all have major impact. So who's benefiting, and who's getting damage, Driver A or Driver B? This why it's so hard to pin down fuel economy, too many variables. Danny also doesn't mention the sweet spot for each driver's truck as Zaroba mentions, another important factor.

Myself, I take it easy, my truck is getting near it's first million, uses no oil, yearly average 7.4mph, so I just cruise along listening to When Radio Was. It seems like the more of a hurry I get in, the more red lights I catch. I'm like Oscar - I'm not increasing my costs unless I see a reason to do so. I do, sometimes, believe me.

 

Sometimes if you're running about 15 minutes before a cut off, miss the cut off and that load is on your truck overnight until the next day...... it is worth it to drive fast. Maybe you get a reload that afternoon or night, maybe you don't. But if you're babysitting it on the truck overnight and you do miss a load that is money and opportunity lost. Time you won't get back. Maybe sets you back 10 hours later getting home at a minimum, maybe even lost extra revenue on the week. Really it's a woulda, coulda, should you will never know or a "but" or an "if" none of which matters in the real world. The argument one way is right and one is wrong never made any sense to me. Even when someone claims $10,000 lost revenue out the stacks per year. Whatever.... you drive your truck and I drive mine. I don't care what fuel costs or how much I burn as long as I can get my rate.

 

I'm not sure the cummins engineering numbers are 100% accurate .... But what do I know.

With my weight, and short milage loads you don't have much choice but to put the power to the ground. I usually take it easy through the low side of the tranny and romp as needed from there......

P.S. My loads are do it as fast as you can...(no appointments)

 

Who in the world these days go 55mph in a truck all day. I can't even imagine that. Anyway it's hard to imagine this scenario because no 2 drivers take the same route, same weight, drive the same way when it's comes to shifting or down shifting on grades. Also assuming both drivers have the same model of truck, engine and truck in same condition and no breakdowns the entire year

 

I set my cruise at 58 mph. Aside from better mileage, I look at less wear and tear over all on the truck. Not to mention, less wear and tear on me. I don't have to worry about passing anyone, and the governed mega morons pass me with enough speed I don't have to get slow passed and cut off all day. Well, for some reason I still get cut off a lot.

I usually see the same people pass me three and four times. I stop less and roll slow and smooth.

In addition it feels a lot safer to me. When I get my truck rolling up to 70mph loaded it can get a little stressful and shaky.

 

That's my biggest complaint in this industry, and it doesn't seem to matter how fast I drive, it still happens. Though when running along at 55 or 60 it happens a lot, mainly from the bottom feeders.

 

2006 company Volvo 400hp, 3:58 rears. I drive it like a mad man, I am always in the passing lane and I am the first one to get on top of the hill. If the speed limit is 70, I go 72. Overall I get 6.2 mpg, but I do 3k miles in 5 days. However, I experimented once driving 62 and my mpg was 7.5... But who the hell cares, they should have governed my truck or give me fuel bonuses

 

So dangerous. Then people want to complain about a traffic jam, at the same time they are tailgating and not allowing cars to merge causing the jam in the first place. Truckers included.

I just try to avoid the clusters. Sometimes I'll just back her down to 52mph and watch the rat race fly by, then pick it back up when I find myself all alone again.

 

Ha! That's how I drive in my car. If there's a problem ahead I have plenty of options to avoid disaster for myself unlike those that are all clustered together inches from each others bumpers.

 

How many of you have been on a road, no one else around, and a car quickly comes up and just starts tailgating you. It's a four lane road, no one else around, they were obviously doing ten to twenty mph faster than you when you saw them closing in your mirror. Once they come up on you they just stay there and tailgate. Three empty lanes around you. You get over one after several miles, and they fly by you. Lol. What??!