North by NorthEast by Choice - the saga of sadwar continues

This is what I'm trying to figure out. My very first truck with Schneider counted anything except from being stopped as overspeed, I only found out when my DBL called me and asked how I was able to achieve over 90% overspeed in my first week . The second and third trucks were fine, but now it seems my overspeed is high again even though I'm driving exactly the same. Maybe I just have cursed trucks lol.

So you basically get to almost highway speed (50 something), and hit the cruise right away? Thats what I do and still have high overspeed.

 

Blame kW on steering controls. Its a option. Freightliner the steering is a stock feature.just like why does kw use two switches for lights. One for headlights other is for marker lights.if you had the touchscreen the steering wheel controls are standard.

 

Since you are talking about cruise I have a stupid question. The company I work for is getting all new Cascadia's with the Cummins engine. I hardly use cruise control and they have the pedal set at 68 and cruise set at 70. I was told that this is to try to get drivers to use cruise more to help on the cost of fuel. Does this make sense to any of you?

 

That is what I did. Basically, got the needle just under 60, set the cruise, then used the 'accel' button to get up to 60 (or 61, if the Brat was feeling frisky)

Have your DBL complain, and get your truck checked out. That overspeed just doesn't sound right to me.

So glad I don't have to worry about that anymore

 

Yeah, it kinda does. Cruise is more efficient than the average driver's foot.

I've heard that trucks can be built to achieve better fuel mileage at 70 than 60, but don't know from personal (and very limited) experience. I do know that 4-wheelers can get better mileage at higher speeds, so it seems reasonable to assume trucks can, too.

 

The cruise will get better fuel mileage. as for overspeed it is also calculated (or used to be) your downhill speed also. once it gets above a pre determined speed it's counted as over speed even if your not on the fuel or accelerator.

 

I think that changed...I seem to remember seeing somewhere that it was only pedal that counted as o/s. Over 70 counts as 'excessive speed', regardless of how you get there.

SNI hides things pretty well, though, and not having Crossroads access anymore makes it difficult for me to find things on there . That was a beef I had with SNI, too...never did get a comprehensive list of accessory pays. I guess they figure if the drivers don't know about it, they don't have to pay it.

 

Even though this is probably written into your contract, I don't see how this is enforceable at all. You are a contractor, not an employee. They can dictate WHAT you shall deliver as far as service goes (pull trailers, deliver at a set time, follow the law, maintain your truck, etc.) but cannot tell you HOW to do it unless it specifically impacts a contractual agreement they have with a customer that you are fulfilling as SNI's contractor. So, as you are not violating any law by using a hands-free phone nor are you impacting your service delivery, if they tried to terminate your contract for talking on a hands free phone, you could probably fight it and have that term of the contract invalidated.

Of course, I'm not a lawyer, so don't rely on this as legal advice, it's just my understanding of things.

 

"I'm not a lawyer, so don't rely on this as legal advice"

Schneider is simply intending to legally cover their butts... just as you were with that statement at the end.
Same thing.

 

So in the most recent issue of "The Trucker " magazine. There is a Schneider ad that says $225,000 in revenue to the truck for a bulk O/O. So lets say that same # applies to you van I/C's. How does that translate into your net income ( before taxes, medical, 401k etc)?