80 MPH speed limit. Would you?

So very true

 

My truck isn't governed but I won't run 80. If I'm light or have a tailwind I will run 75 on roads posted as such. If im heavy, I keep it at 68-70 mph.

 

FWIW, I think Texas wasted its time raising the speed limit from 70 to 75 from mm8 to the state line with NM on I-10 since AFAIK, NM has no.plans on raising the limit between the 10/25 split and the state line. Traffic gets bottlenecked on the Texas side most days your lucky to get over 60!

 

If you buy your own fuel, why would you run faster? Isn't the idea of owning your business to make the maximum amount of money that you can? Why run a 1000 miles on full tank when you can run 1300-1400 miles on a tank? Don't know about you, but I do this to make money so I can piss it away on the fun things in life.
How many times does the same "fast" truck pass you on the road in a day? I've seen the same truck fly by me @ 75mph 3-4 times in a day and they still don't get there before me. Just doesn't make any sense to me.

 

You've been a trucker for 12 years, yet you can't see instances where maximum legal and safe speed could be needed? I'm sure there are many out there that a 75mph speed limit means the difference in being home for the weekend and taking a restart 5 hours from home. There are a lot more types of operations than just yours, sure running fast might not make sense to you, but it could very well make CENTS to another operator.

 

Can also cost DOLLAR$ for some regardless of the CENT$ it seems to make to others.

 

I am quite comfortable running 65. Going any faster opens up more possibilities of something going terribly wrong in a traffic emergency.

 

Sure it may make a difference for some as you say, BUT isn't planning part of our job descriptions? What I mean by that is, if you know you need to be in a particular location by a particular time, then it is YOUR responsibility to make sure you are set up to legally be able to do it...not your dispatcher. Communication, heads up, some basic math and you know whether or not you can do the load before your load home. If you live in Florida, as I do, don't take that load to California if you need to be home in 3 days after you deliver that load. You may counter by saying, "My company says I have to do this load," or "This is the only way we can get you home." My response is simple: maybe you need to contract/drive for another company.

The company I contract to will swap, relay, re-power, or let me drop @ drop yards to get me home on time. I have been involved in swaps that constituted 7 different drivers just to get 1 driver home on time.....and this was a non-emergency situation. Besides, as I stated before, running 75-80 mph doesn't mean you'll get there before someone that drives 60-65 mph. Argue that point all you want, but I have proven it time and time again that this is simply not true. If you have to go 2000+ miles there will be an extra fuel stop by running faster. I'd rather get 7-8 MPG than 5-6 MPG.
Consider this: 2000 miles @ 7 MPG = 285.7 gallons. 2000 miles @ 6 MPG = 333.3 gallons. A difference of 47.6 gallons. 47.6 gallons @ $3.846/gallon (the current week's DOE national average) comes out to a difference of $183.07. That's just 2000 miles. Now figure 100,000 miles per year and you are saving $9157.14. Do you really want to throw away $9K because you want to go fast???????? Keep in mind that 2000 miles/week & 100,000 miles/year are low figures. If you run more, then the savings are more.
I will close by adding this. Yes there are certain times you may want to go faster for whatever reason (I do it sometimes), but if the bulk of your driving is done at a conservative speed, you WILL make more money. Why do companies set their company trucks at 62 MPH or 65 MPH? Its not for insurance reasons, its fuel cost, and they are a business just as I am and the bottom line is MAXIMIZE PROFITS.

 

Since the OP said everything stays the same but fuel is on .10 a gallon, then yes, I would go faster than the 60mph I do now. But not 80mph since tires are only rated for about 75mph, so I'd stick to 75mph and ride the wind. I honestly get worried out there when I get passed by all those Texas trucks with their recapped tires..... I usually spend most of the day dodging their remians anyways now.

 

Because putting Beavis and Butthead behind the wheel of an 80 mph truck isn't a good idea?