MPG

No problems here. If you read through my thread I came a little bit backwards to understanding how to run for most efficient fuel mileage. Learning how to "free foot" in rolling hills efficiently was an eye opener, and that skill set serves me very well today. Knowing how LITTLE you need to press the throttle to get half boost and easing off on it as I climb is like second nature now. It's a skill that comes in handy for staying within the "circle of traction" in slick conditions.

While I normally set cruise control at 70 mph it is an extremely rare event for me to floor it for maximum horsepower, even when starting out. I take my sweet time getting up to speed. Some of that is because of the nature of what I haul. You don't want to be putting stress on load securement or on the drive train. My following distance is always at least six seconds. In heavy traffic I back off and try to go a steady pace.

In slick conditions I am nowhere close to the fastest truck on the road. Steady as she goes, but I do enjoy driving in it.

 

On the road he was talking about going from Missoula to Boise, you would drop several gears alot of times. Average rpm would have been higher on the shorter trip (mileage), especially going down a couple of fairly long 6 to 7 percent grades.

 

I guess if all I was going to do every week is one round from Phoenix to Houston .
I would slow down to 55 and just enjoy the week it took to do the job .

If the only way you making money is off of fuel mileage then boys you have got a rude awaking coming .
But you know what ?
Prime Inc has convinced thousands of people that the only way to make a profit is based solely on your fuel mileage .

Like others have said it is not a one size fit all industry .
It is also not a industry where 3 trips can be turned into a year long average either .

To bad trucking is not something that is done on a calculator .
Like others have said it is not a one size fit all industry .
It is also not a industry where 3 trips can be turned into a year long average either .

I can tell you this after 35 years trucking I have seen calculator operators come and go while I am still trucking along putting money in the bank doing it the wrong way .

 

You got it, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the money.

 

OP is trying to figure out why O/O and L/P peeps don't go slower to be more efficient in fuel usage. Forum members bring up the other factors to take into consideration IRT ignoring a dollar to grab a dime. I'd say OP has the info he/she was looking for.

 

Heh, its not just Prime. Somehow, the company I ran OTR for got me into "get the fuel bonus" mode. Worked right up until I went to make a delivery and find another driver from my compnay also waiting to make a delivery. Receiver was gonna take a while so we get to yakking. He pulls out a pad and paper and shows me that it would be better to run all out and make more with miles than what we would get for fuel bonus.
Felt pretty dumb, should have figured that out on my own.

 

Because it's my personal vice

 

I'd say the OP has too much time on his hands if he's worrying about what everyone else is doing..