Double Yellow's Company Driver to Independent Thread

With my 10 speed I get the best fuel economy at 57 and in 9th gear

 

How does this compare to when you were a company driver and not paying for the fuel? Were you learning to drive efficiently as a company driver?

Seems whenever I'm in traffic and back off from my governed 62 mph to start letting traffic flow around me it's more relaxing. Far fewer decision points regarding any urgency to pass someone.

 

Thats the secret to easy miles. Plus, when you do need to make a pass you have some extra speed to use instead of the slow 5 mile long pass, finished with a nice bumper to bumper cut off.

When I used to run a governed company truck I always seemed to safely tail Schneider company trucks. They were about 2-3 mph slower than me. If I saw Schneider slow passing a Prime truck I'd hang back until I could quickly pass and get in front of Prime leaving him a safe following distance. Point is I didn't run against the governor and had options and made everything safer and less crammed.

Usually felt like I was the only one, but every now and again I see someone in a governed truck using those same safe tactics, and my faith in humanity is restored for a moment. Then my faith in humanity is quickly struck down by the next guy running against his govener, tailgating me and slow passing me, then getting cut off 2 minutes later..

 

It's the fuel itself. Refiners blend it differently, and racks cut it with kerosene, then stations add anti-gel. All this adds up to a lower btu fuel in the winter.

 

that's interesting. I never considered air density. The fuel is more than #1 and #2 though. not all #2 is created equal, it is a blend of 106 distallates. Even before they blend kerosene the winter diesel is different diesel. Between the fuel, the air density, idling and hard starting conditions, increased risk, can a guy just go to Bahli for the winter ? Let's do the math on that !

 

I have traveled from the lower 48 to Alaska in the winter time. The truck I drive is a mid roof KW T800W with a 600hp ISX. In the lower 48 I can get (if I am lucky) 5.8 mpg while pulling a box trailer.. The truck has a very long wheelbase, around 340". In Alaska I am lucky if I can get 4 mpg. The fuel and the air density really does have an affect on the mpg that you get. In the summer the same truck pulling the same trailer with the same load (really the same exact stuff in the trailer down to the part) will get 6.5 mpg. That is how much the weather has an affect on the mpg's that I get. Company buys the fuel but I still drive it like I have to pay for it. I still in the back of my mind have the dream of driving for myself. Just not able to do it now with my financials the way that they are. This thread keeps me dreaming that I too one day can do this.

 

i will be traveling to Ky with my truck No DOT number or MC on it. I'm going to orientation got to make the travel from ar to KY. i have insurance and a temp tag for 30days. Should i put anything on the side of my truck or just leave it alone and if i get stopped just tell em?