L/O Fuel Summaries

I wish I knew how you were getting your fuel price so low. I read yesterday in the Sparks terminal that the average price L/O's pay is about $1.46 per gallon.

Part of the reason mine is so high is due to the 1700 mile unauthorized deadhead from Dallas to Lathrop couple weeks ago. Plus my fuel gauge is about 75 gallons off which means I'm buying way more fuel than I need. I filled up in Dallas and ran all the way to Kingman AZ (287-I40) and got 50 more gallons because the fuel red light had come on. I came back to work after a week off and the red light was on again so (**rant alert**) after getting zip zero nada help from planners/DL's regarding an empty trailer I went to a local shipper I know and grabbed one of their nine empties on their lot and went over and put in 100 gallons before my pickup. Load was light so went ahead and decided to top off tanks a couple hours later, only needed 65 gallons to top off. Tanks are 120 each.

 

My fuel guage is off as well, but not as much.
And my on-board computer shows me the same.

But I know it now, so I can compensate.

Mine is more like 30 gallons with 100G tanks.

Scottie, you should by now know what kind of fuel mileage you get with certain weight loads.

You know, in NASCAR, they calculate the distance a driver can run based on information - not a fuel guage.
Sometimes we need to do the same.

As a great and wise Master once said...
Trust your instincts.
(He didn't say it, but I will. Also trust in your intellect.)

I have run out of fuel twice, by trusting my instincts and intellect.
The first I was pulling in to the truck stop for fuel and fell 200 feet short.
The second, I was out of hours and had to wait until morning to fuel. But it was very hot, so I had to idle too much overnight and ran out right before I pulled out in the morning to get to the fuel island.

That close, both times. 1/10 a gallon would have done it, either time.
I still have that 5 gallon fuel container from the first time.

Point is, even though I push things just a little too far now and then - I know my truck.
(different trucks both times, and not the truck I'm in now... just sayin')

 

My net fuel cost has been hovering between $1.01-$1.06 a gallon for the last 6 weeks or so.

Scotty, Use the Qualcom's fuel readout to track your fuel usage. Start at a known point (like full) and go from there. I filled my tanks twice this week (2 long distance loads) and both time my calcualtions were within 1-2 gallons of what I was able to pump into the tanks.

 

YOUR AVG NET FUEL COST IS /GAL
13 WEEK SUMMARY: 06/06/12 - 09/03/12
PURCHASES: $9,906.91 (2617 GALLONS)
REBATES: $10907.42 (24194 LD MILES)
NET COST: $.00 (/GALLON)

DRIVING MPG-9.50(13WKS/9.17(LASTWK)
TRIP MPG-9.45(13WKS)/9.15(LASTWK)
DCI: 0%(13WKS)/1%(LASTWK)

Sooner or later I will understand how to get the photos off of my new phone into my computer.

 

So you averaged around 1800 miles per week, loaded.
And got over 9 MPG the whole time?

Are you choosing mainly very light loads?
What kind of truck do you drive?

 

I drive a dedicated route from Sumner to Yreka CA twice a week. The loads run about 10k down and maybe 2k back. The trailer is 48 ft liftgate. I get paid loaded miles for both directions. I drive just the speed limit on the flats, and run up the major grades doing about 40mph / 1200 rpm, sometimes less.

My tractor is a 2000 Century with a c15, 10spd autoshift, 3.55 rears and super singles. The engine was rebuilt in 2007 and was re-rated to 500 hp. I have since put on airtabs, a Walker Noisebreaker muffler, a full tilt manifold (big shiny chrome), and changed to a non-wastegated turbo (from Mr. Haney). Additionally I have a BullyDog tuner that adds 75 hp as well as a BD watchdog. The engine, transmission and rears have all been treated with boric acid (MotorSilk, which is no longer available). The truck has over 1.5 million miles on it, and at the end of next year it's either going to be scrapped or turned into a Montana runner.

 

I had a turbo air charge hose thingie leak fixed lets see how the next 13 weeks goes....