Running with JCT, Part Deux

Yep. I wish the same thing also.

 

Yeah the "half tank fill up" was something I use to do as a company driver when I was cutting my OTR teeth with the Big Blue Screw, since they didn't really hold your hand either when it came to fillups. They gave you a suggested fuel spot but not ammounts or anything like that. You were free to fill up wherever in the approved fuel book.

I agree its hand holding, and some people "need" it but shouldn't rely on it. You're right, this should be a stepping stone to bigger and better things, cutting your teeth here has seemed to be the least painfull of places to do it. I mean i'm about to turn in a 1400 mile week, and still generate a...well I don't wanna say DECENT settlement, but still in the several hundreds. Its REALLY hard to screw up here unless you're just determined to fail.

I would be more "pro" fuel route suggestion if it actually took other places into consideration. Like the fueling I ran into earlier last week were the prices were WAYYY different just 20 miles away at a different major, but it wasent a PFJ so they didn't even present it as a choice. Its more like "Heres some hand holding, but we will take our cut for doing it.".

Personally, I would love it if they put an option box in the Loaded Call macro where you could say if you wanted fuel routing or not for that load. That way if you don't want it you wont get it. But seeing as its just a one message nuisance, its easy to ignore.

 

I agree it's easy to ignore, but would be nice to have the option to opt out of it.

The check box to opt out would need to be in preplan acceptance macro.

 

I dunno if they give this information when you get one of the new automatic trucks, but I stumbled across this YouTube series from Detroit about the DT12 transmission, gives info on how certain things work with the auto.



they also give a video on how to drive the Detroit efficiently.



I know this is old hat to some of us but new guys could probably get some learnin.

 

Results really do vary here. I just don't see how you could pull that off. My fixed expenses are 314 a week and I bring .73 cents a mile to my truck at current fsc. I just did a thousand mile run with 2 stops and I was lucky to net 13 dollars. I drove 55 the entire way and according to my dash readout I average 8.6 from Casa Grande to Denver. I had 40000 on the truck. I had a little fuel left. I put 100 gallon in for this pick up in Greeley JBS and my gauge show 3/4 of a tank.

Do you use a scanguage and run out a max amount of fuel? I ran out of fuel winging it last week because my gas gauge doesn't work correctly. I topped off, drove 850 miles and ran out right outside of phoenix about 30 miles from my fuel stop. For some reason, one tank emptied out way before the other. I know that's a separate issue and I took it immediately to the shop.

I'm getting pretty frustrated because after I got my new truck, my income dropped big time and the planners seem to be saddling me with horrible preplan choices.

Do TA's and Petros sell the scangauges? I really want to get one.

Currently sitting in Evanston waiting just to get to the beginning of my window for this pick up which starts at 0200 tomorrow and ends at midnight tomorrow. I delivered yesterday morning. Now that's inefficient and it has nothing to do with me.

 

OK How did you run out of fuel? What is your MPG?
I know I have a avearge of 7.86 overall So when i fuel I use 7MPG for easy math. So I fill up i have 240 gallons avalible of course I use 200 as I say the 40 is my emergency fuel. So when i fill up 200*7=1400 miles on a tank plus a little more.
Keep track of every gallon you buy and milage. use an app on your phone I use Fuellog https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ch.simonmorgenthaler.fuellog&hl=en
I also use a few new tools like Trucker tools to find cheap fuel.
Please dont read this and think im being a jerk Im really just trying to grasp the issue and help if i can.

As for a 1000 mile run the first run will be eaten by the fixed cost but after that you make good cash if you watch your fuel.
Now I ended last week with about half a tank of fuel so my first load is only 744 miles total but its only a 2 day think and after my fixed i still clear 328.38.
its all how you watch your bottom line. FUEL FUEL FUEL I may not be rich but i am happy with what i make. as for the scangauge yes they sell them at some TA's i fyou are on the 80 they have them at the Iowa 80.

 

I had some fuel left from my previous run, not much though, as I had to grab fuel after deadheading from Pompano Beach to Umatilla. I should be fueled for the rest of this trip, and I'm only really fueling by trip on this one because it's a one trip week because of a crappy unload schedule that a MAC 41 wont fix.

Fixed expenses are 299 for me with a 14 Cascadia. I know because I had a blank settlement recently when I took time off. So that's insurances, escrows, and fixed payment. I run 60-61.

1468 Total miles
Mile pay 1321.20
FSC 234.88
Stop pay 40.00
Total Trip pay 1598.08

Variable Lease 293.60
Maint Escrow 132.12
Fuel 406.12
Variable total 831.84
Fixed Exp 299.26
Total Exp 1131.10
Settlement Estimate 464.98
77 CPM Exp
32 CPM Profit Dispatched Miles

I run mine low against scanguage to monitor fuel levels, and also check tanks by sight. I do know when to say "Screw it, I need SOME fuel" and that's usually when the fuel needle refuses to move on turns. I had the same issue with tanks pulling uneven when I got this truck but it was due to debris (The ultra low sulfur sticker got in the tank).

My fueling plan flies in the face of others like Steel, but its been working for me. The only time I fuel kind of like him is when I'm going into a high fuel cost area like California. Then I load up no matter where I am in my week.

 

I ran out of fuel because these kenworths do not have crossover lines they rely on pumps that feedback to the tanks. Something was wrong and one of my tanks had about 40 gallon in it and the other was bone dry. When one tanks goes bone dry, the truck stops running period. Sadly, that thousand mile run ended my week that had started Sunday due to being in the shop. Thanks for the feedback.

Oh yeah and I do watch my odometer miles and zero out at every fill up. Like I said, I put 850 miles on a full tank and ran out.

 

I know alot of people put 50-100 gallons in AZ before going into Cali. But for me it was cheaper to top off in Fabens, Tx, make my run to City of Industry, went and picked my next load the next day and ran back to AZ for fuel 100 gallons.

 

I do the same thing when figuring fuel for miles. 7mpg even though I'm averaging somewhere in the 7.7 7.8 range. Helps account for APU usage and anything else unforeseen.