Questions for O/Os

I guess it rides better, I don't know, never had a truck that long! To me it looks kind of dumb, but hey, to each his own, if that's how they want their truck, that's one of advatages of being an o/o, you can make your own decisions. Just have fun buying fuel.....

 

Some O/O's get big discounts threw their companies if they fuel at the Petro or TA's, I do and along with my fsc my weekly fuel bill is not that bad.

I own and drive a 07' Pete 379 extended hood w/ Cat C15 550, 18spd, 280"WB and I bought it new and ordered it that way. I pull a flatbed and haul long pipe and beams sometimes so I need the space between the trailer and the truck. I am not rich but I make a good living and get to own and drive a very nice piece of equipment that I take pride in. I average around 5.5 mpg running around 70 mph most of the time, know some will say their is no way you can make it well I do but I don't pull a dry van and get paid my the mile. I average almost twice the rate to the truck per mile of what some of these freight companies are paying to their owner operators and that is loaded and empty. I see advertisements still paying 85 cpm plus fsc, they were paying that back in the 80's.

I have owned one aerodynamic truck in the past a KW T600 and it was a very good truck and loved driving it but when it was time to trade they wouldn't give me nothing for it and it is still that way today if you don't believe me go and trade one in, to tell the truth they don't want to give much for anything car's or truck's. I did look into an slopped nose again it was a Freightliner Columbia w/ Detroit and just rode ruff and had a lifetime average of 5.8 mpg on the print out, I talked to the company and and their fleet average was 6.5mpg also looked at a 07' KW T600 w/ Cat and it showed lifetime was 5.3 mpg. I know their are trucks getting 7 or 8 mpg but I haul heavy and don't pull a box where it is 6" behind my sleeper. I have seen aerodynamic trucks that are all over the board on fuel mileage and I would hate to go and buy one and get the same as I am getting know.

 

Some of us don't (or didn't in my case) have three kids, a mortgage, a wife, or an ex-wife that require money.....Some people spend money on boats, cars, or motorcycles some on Petes and KW's.....As Allow Me said its about pride in your ride..

It might sound a little crazy but some of us also need more than a 65 mph auto-shift Volvo driving for a bottom feeder company being told our every move and asking permission to go home...I said for years I'll take a cut in pay for some freedom and respect but thats just me..

 

I've only been driving for about a year now. I've had an 'aero' truck for most of that time and now have a 2008 pete 388 (like a standard 379). I absolutely love the ride compared to my 'aero' truck (pete 387). I also gained .5 MPG and a bit more power too. I, like the others above, take pride in my ride so that's a benefit to me.

I respect all drivers out there, but have seen some VERY poorly maintained equipment and I just shake my head. Little things that would not take much to correct (DIRTY, lights not working, fenders falling off, mirrors missing, etc etc..)

BUT that's just me.

 

My non-aero daycab with a little more than 12' between the back of the cab and the nose of the trailer gets better than 6 mpg when I pull a van...even at 70 mph.

 

I was told years ago more space in between is better for mileage because it allows the air to escape.....don't if it actually works that way or not ??

 

I never liked a real long wheelbase truck personally but it's a guys choice if he wants that or not.
You're right about one thing...We can make our own decisions and that's one of the reasons that we do this rather than drive some de-balled company areodyne nightmare with some 20 year old dork looking over our shoulder every minute on his computer and questioning our every move.
The "just have fun buying fuel" statement was funny because it was obviously from the perspective of someone who knows very little about what they're talking about.

Really? I don't know anyone that does that! But I don't associate with idiots!
I'm in this to make money...And I do.
My truck looks good and makes money and is set up to my liking.

If he thinks Petros are nice he needs his head examined...They used to be nice until T/A bought them out, Now they're just nasty dumps like most T/A's are.

I'm pretty sure it's not for you too.

I have two ex wives, A wife, Lots of toys and three kids (Lucky me, They're all grown now) and a KW and a couple of trailers (All paid for)

No wait....That's impossible, I'm an O/O therefore I must be homeless and spend all my money on chrome, food and fuel.

Well said except for the "cut in pay" part...I won't settle for less money and that's why I won't haul cheap freight!