truck speeds

Yea them bull haulers have to be off balance a little for the job they have to do anyway.

But I have to say if you can keep up with them they will get you across the state pretty fast sometimes

 

Its not the insurance companies who say what the truck speed limit has to be. Instead its the companies who dictate this. The companies say what they want their trucks to run due to what they call saving fuel. Instead of setting the truck with the proper transmittion against rears they go with whatever the manufacture sets as standard and then put a set speed limit to max. miles per gallon...

 

Setting the truck up is the key point, I drive a 03 KW W900 with a 550 Cat 355 rears and Eaton 13, my truck runs triple digits. I have never had it above 80 but I know it is there. No one should ever be operating above 80 under any circumstance. I say 80 b/c some states speed limits are 75 and me myself I like to cruise just a hair above what traffic is moving.

 

They are trying to outrun the smell.

 

I wish I could have cruised at 75 on some of my trips, especially going through texas. But no I got the ole 63 mph pumpkin, but if I stepped on the gas pedal I could go 66 since my qualcomm didnt register overspeeds. I remember one guy blowing my doors off in Illinois, guy must've been going atleast 90. That would've been a nice ticket 90 in a 55.

 

I went through 5 trucks when I was with Stevens. 4 were governed at 64 and the last was governed at 68. The T2000 @ 68 got better MPG than the 64 mph T600's. Aerodynamics!:smt033

 

My trucks not governed. To bad the furthest I have ever drove it was 30 miles away from the yard.

 

Oh, don't you believe this for a minute!
MOST fleets are self insured (up to X number of dollars), could you imagine the premiums on 300+ tractors?

Not quite, I have a 550 Cat, 18, and 3:36 rears. I get 5.9-6.2 running below 75, abouve that it drops to 5.5 or less. (this is a Western Star)
I doubt a FL Columbia that goes 70-75 is gonna get less MPG if it goes 6-9 mph less

Now this makes sense.

Trucking companies cater to the lowest common denominator. In other words they know their base driver is a 3-5 year driver, which by the way, is the most dangerous driver on the road (www.fmcsa.gov).
So the CO.s train of thought is slow them down and the damge is less expenxive

Sometimes I think I know more than I need to, other times I know squat.
These are personal observations and from doing alot of research.