Why do YOU speed....if this is all you save?

I usually drive with cruise control set at 4mph over the speed limit based on the speed that my Garmin GPS shows on the screen. The Garmin shows me both the posted speed limit for that particular road and it also shows me the running speed of my truck. I use those two numbers.

Although from what I have been reading on this and other threads I think that once I am running my own truck and paying for my own fuel I will most likely test the fuel economy savings when driving a steady 62-65mph vs. 5mph+ which equates to generally 70-75mph.

As far as those that complain about other drivers speeding and being unsafe, why is it so hard for people to realize that, relatively speaking, speed is most likely the least contributing factor to an accident. Above speeding are... environmental variables, other drivers, equipment, the truck driver, and finally speed. Bottom line, given that the mentioned variables are all in harmony with safety and road awareness, the truck could be driving 120mph and not be any more dangerous than parked at the TS. But take any one of those variables and throw it out of whack and the truck has a similar accident potential at 40mph as at 100mph.

True, the damage becomes much greater at higher speeds were an accident to occur...but that would require a hole other set of indefinite unforeseeable variables to be able to definitely say that a 100mph accident would cause "more" damage than a 40mph one.

P.S. I honestly wonder if companies that set a speed limiter on their trucks do it for "safety" or for savings. Since the lower speed means lower fuel costs and lower chance of speeding violations (and the many additional violations that could be given at the same time).

 

Looking at it short term, yes it doesn't look worth it at all. But add up all those miles and time saved thru a year. Lot of extra money in your pocket and for those with families, a few extra hours at home.

 

Honestly, I don't think a lot of drivers realize this. I run close to 80000 all the time. I know how long it takes me to stop. I never ride on someone's butt because I'm not gonna be one of those drivers who crush a car. In heavy traffic, I turn the CB off cause there is always one or two guys who have to run their mouths about my following distant. Stupid.

As far as speeding, it's not speeding when it is posted. If the speed limit is 70, I run 70. If it is 60, I run 60. All the time I will see the governed trucks create more hazards than ungoverned trucks. I can't tell the number of times on the interstate I'm passing someone and right before I'm about to go around them they jump right in front of me. I'm running 70, they are 62-65....whatever it is. I have to shut down fast to stop from rear ending them.

It's dangerous and stupid. They just don't want to tap their brakes and let a truck running the speed limit by. They just have to jump out there to pass another truck who is running 1 mph slower than them.

You can point fingers all day about trucks that are not governed. But when they are running the speed limit, what is the wrong there. IF they are driving unsafe, then yes, I agree....point fingers and call out. But just because you have a truck that will run and you do the speed limit, you are not being unsafe. I see a lot more unsafe drivers out there in governed, slow trucks than I do in trucks that can run.

And that's a fact.

 

It keeps me awake.Spent my first 20 years hauling produce so I guess I`ll just say "old habits are hard to break" and leave it at that.lol

 

Looks good on the road too...
Fuel consumption is a variable not based as much on road speed as driving style and habits as I have said before I run my ungoverned truck at whatever the speed limit is plus or minus 1 or 2 and I regularly get mileage that's as good or better than most "fleet dogs" with my big ol' square nosed W9 so excuse me if I scoff at the areodyne go slow to save fuel crowd...

As far as the supposed extra wear and tear from running a little faster....In the 36 years that I've owned trucks, I haven't seen any accelerated wear on anything due to speed (even when I used to run "way fast") If the truck is well maintained and is not abused the cruising speed will have little if any impact on wear.

Additional maintenance expense? None!

What you're not considering is the fact that by running the speed limit and keeping the left door shut, I can be at a delivery a full day ahead of you and be reloaded and on my way with the next load while you're unloading the next day...And that is more money in my pocket at the end of the week!
It also adds up to a helluva lot more money in my pocket at the end of the year and that is the bottom line!

I've been paying the bills on my trucks for a long time and I will say again....There is no tradeoff for running faster!
The bottom line is I spend a LITTLE more for fuel and wind up with a LOT more money at the end of the day!

Keep on believeing the SWIFT propaganda and run as slow as you like, But I'll be unloading and reloading while you're still tryin' to "get there" and I'll be a few hundred miles into my next load before you get unloaded...

 

I'll just stay out of your way, BW9.

Everybody else complaining about slower trucks: I do look in my mirrors for you. If you are a long way back, I'm probably not going to wait ten minutes for you to finally catch me. I'll get out there and pass, but I might inconvenience you for a minute or two, but I've got it kicked up to get around that other guy. If he's not being a turd and playing with my governor, it won't be a problem. If he is, get on his butt about it, not mine.

If you are hanging around behind me and I have no idea what you're doing, you slowly creep up on me, get about ten feet from my DOT bumper and I turn on my signal, I want to pass this guy. You have given me no indicator what you intend to do. If you see my signal come on and then pop out from behind me while I'm already moving left, you are just going to have to wait. You had way more than enough time to tell me what you want and failed to do so.

I will not deliberately or carelessly jump out in front of you if I see you closing on me in the left lane. The only exception to this is if I have to make an evasive maneuver to avoid a crash. I'll inconvenience you for someone's life.

 

Sixty-five (65) is more than fast enough for any 18 wheeler. Speeds above that are just asking for serious trouble. A front blow-out at 75 or 80 on a big rig is spectacular!

I saw one wrapped around a bridge pillar that had a front blow-out. A real mess. So was the driver. What was left of him.

 

An appointment is an appointment. Thinking speed is going to get you unloaded quicker? Well maybe a few loads. Trashing truck stops and having to make up time, then yes.

A front blow out is dangerous at any highway speed if you never had one. If you run within your tire rating and keep good equipment, then there's nothing wrong with running 80 in west texas. There's a thousand of trucks doing it everyday. The same with the OK Trpk. What's it? 75? I'm just sayin... I been in a 65 mph truck the past three years.

 

IMO which isn't worth squat, for the few million miles I've sat behind the wheel speeding is really a accident waiting to happen. There is a time and a place for the hammer and I was no exception at one time. 90mph and above across Idaho/Utah weighing 53 tons @ 2AM . Not one of my better ideas. Got away with fast driving for years but eventually the percentages are against you. Instead of driving faster to make more $ I just found a higher paying truck job. Trust me when I say this. Once you have been invovled in a fatality accident you never look at driving the same. Stay safe and obey the laws you will healthier and happier in the long haul.

 

While I completely agree with Okiedokie, I too have run 100 MPH at 100,000 pounds back in the day. Now I'll just stay close to the speed limit.

But for all the sheep that take skewed data off of websites with an agenda or blindly preach mindless company policies, I have to supply you with real facts.

Fuel is the single most expensive cost in trucking. So yes fuel mileage is important. But many things have to go into the fuel cost equation. If you run more miles you generate more revenue. At what point does the additional revenue justify the additional fuel cost? This calculation is not as simple and straightforward as some may think.

For my calculations I will use some low, realistic and doable numbers. These numbers will take the HOS and speed limit dogs out of the fight. By doing this we can hash HOS and speed limits somewhere else and we can just look at what a difference in speed makes over a given period of time.

For the purpose of our calculations we will use 52 MPH and 62 MPH. We will operate 10 hours a day, 5 days a week and 48 weeks a year. Our speed difference is 10 MPH.

Example one: 52 * 10 = 520 miles a day. 520 * 5 = 2600 miles a week. 2600 * 48 = 124,800 miles a year.

Example two: 62 * 10 = 620 miles a day. 620 * 5 = 3100 miles a week. 3100 * 48 = 148,800 miles a year.

The difference is 100 miles a day, 500 miles a week and 24,000 miles a year.

As a company driver making .32 per mile you will earn an additional gross pay of $32 per day, $160 per week and $7,680 per year.

As a company driver making .40 per mile you will earn an additional gross pay of $40 per day, $200 per week and $9,600 per year.

If you are a lease operator making 1.35 per mile you will gross an additional $135 per day, $675 per week and $32,400 per year.

If you are a lease operator making 1.60 per mile you will gross an additional $160 per day, $800 per week and $38,400 per year.

With your own authority making 2.00 per mile you will gross an additional $200 per day, $1,000 per week and $48,000 per year.

Now let's analyze the additional fuel costs for operation with your own authority. We'll use my business model. These are projections run on a spreadsheet. The numbers I use for mileage would be more accurate at 65 MPH and 75 MPH, but remember we muzzled the dogs. The real numbers for this speed would be more in favor of the sheep's argument but I don't mind spotting them a few.

Running 52 MPH I get 6.5 MPG at 3.95 per gallon and run 124,800 miles a year. My 2.00 per mile are loaded and empty and I average 10% empty miles. My loaded miles are 113,454. I gross $249,599 of which 30.11% or $75,150 goes for fuel. The driver's wages, profit and return on investment are 35.00% or $87,361.

Running 62 MPH I get 5.5 MPG at 3.95 per gallon and run 148,800 miles a year. My 2.00 per mile are loaded and empty and I average 10% empty miles. My loaded miles are 135,273. I gross $297,601 of which 35.20% or $104,757 goes for fuel. The driver's wages, profit and return on investment are 32.08% or $95,468.

So you can see that fuel cost as a percentage and a dollar figure both increased while running faster. However take note of the fact that the owner put an additional $8,107 net profit in his pocket. Keep in mind this profit didn't come from working harder or working more hours. This profit came from leveraging time through the use of equipment speed and additional fuel to increase earnings.

Now in the name of fairness let's evaluate the additional miles if ran at the cost saving 52 MPH. I will have to work an additional 9.62 hours per week or 461.54 hours a year to run these miles. This means an extra hour every day and 4.62 hours on Saturday. For me Saturday is a deal-breaker.

Running 52 MPH I get 6.5 MPG at 3.95 per gallon and run 148,800 miles a year. My 2.00 per mile are loaded and empty and I average 10% empty miles. My loaded miles are 135,273. I gross $297,601 of which 30.11% or $89,603 goes for fuel. The driver's wages, profit and return on investment are 35.58% or $105,891.

Well I admit either side has a point in this argument. Now that I have analyzed it I would probably settle on a compromise. I'd run 5 MPH faster and work an extra hour per day.

Running 57 MPH I get 6.0 MPG at 3.95 per gallon and run 148,800 miles a year. My 2.00 per mile are loaded and empty and I average 10% empty miles. My loaded miles are 135,273. I gross $297,601 of which 32.44% or $96,556 goes for fuel. The driver's wages, profit and return on investment are 33.98% or $101,111.

The point of this post was to prove that running 10 MPH did in fact save a lot of time and despite additional costs in fuel would still put more money in your pocket. The proof was a savings of 461.54 hours a year and an additional profit of $8,107 in your pocket despite higher fuel costs. Even company drivers could gross $7680 - $9600.

This is not about exceeding the posted speed limit. That is not prudent behavior. This is about running 62 MPH when the posted limit is 70 MPH and thinking it is always the best solution. Time is money the same as fuel is money. Each operator has to find the balance that fits him or her.