Double Yellow's Company Driver to Independent Thread

Meditation helps digestion.

 

VI?

 

Vehicle Inspection

 

Did you buy in Chico?

 

I read though this thread 1.5 years ago or so and also get inspired and prompted by myself to get on my own, unfortunately the protagonist here sold his ship and parted with the sea for now. I'd like to have a different ending...another 100 truck and trailer fleet or so.... Such is life, though.

 

Been there done that. Lived in Cali for six years in the Marines, went back home to Georgia, then moved to Nevada. NV was actually really nice except for scorching hot doorhandles in the summer. Living in California was really really beautiful, but I was insulated from the politics and insane economy by the military. Still, if I didn't have a family to consider, I would live there in a heartbeat.

 

I’d love to move to Reno or Vegas. Idk why but I love it there.

 

Maybe because what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

 

I was also inspired around the same time, summer of 2016, finished reading Double Yellow's thread and I bought a truck and got my own authority. It's been the best decision I could've made...and I can't thank him enough for his transparency.

I apologize for barely contributing or being logged in over the last year...as I already knew this thing would have challenges and I've spent the better part of a year just trying to keep it together and survive. I replaced my transmission and survived an accident in the past year. I'm still in business, and hopefully purchasing a second truck this week with a good driver waiting to occupy it. Thanks again DY, you are a real blessing on this site! I hope you share your real estate adventures with us also! I think I could be comfortable when I get to 5 drivers...then I want to start investing in real estate!

 

The discussion about fuel mileage has really captured my interest. Thanks to @double yellow, @Blu_Ogre, @Lepton1, @Victor_V, @snowwy, for sharing their experience and lots of great info.

Yesterday I watched my torque gauge closely for a couple hours as I was making my way from Opelousas, LA to I-55. Not terribly hilly terrain, but hilly enough that downshifting made a difference once in a while. I have a couple questions about how driving with "an egg underfoot" is supposed to work.

First, which is the more reliable indicator of fuel consumption--RPMs, or torque? On a gentle slope, I could downshift from 10th to 9th and be using 50% less torque and only lose one or 2 mph, but my RPMs would jump from 11 or 12 to 15 or higher. I've always been taught that low rpm's equal high fuel mileage.

Second, based on my experience yesterday, it makes sense to me that a 13 speed transmission is better for fuel mileage because I would be able to graduate my changes in torque more slowly. Sometimes the difference between 10th gear and 9th gear was so big that my torque would jump from 75% or higher down to around 30%, but then I would be moving so much more slowly that it didn't seem worth the fuel savings.

Third, when accelerating from a start, I tried to keep my torque at or below 50% as @Blu_Ogre suggested, but that almost never resulted in getting up to cruising speeds. Would it be safe to say that this discussion doesn't really apply to accelerating from a start (with the understanding that other fuel saving techniques DO apply)?