Habits You Developed to Ensure Safety and Preservation of Your License

I'm sorry to say that a lot of drivers think the object of driving OTR is getting to point A as fast as you can. After a few years of this either two things will happen. 1, you'll wear holes so big in your stomach you won't be able to drive anymore or 2, you'll come to you senses and realize that a calm relaxed driver makes more money and gets the job done better and safer. You ask how to maintain your speed. You keep you eyes moving and watch the speedometer. You don't care if someone gets ahead of you and you slow down if they become a problem. You relax and you'll become more courteous which in turn will eliminate "I've got to be first syndrome" and you find it's much easier. You let the truck work for you and not the other way around. You take care of your truck and I guarantee it will take care of you. You want the truck rolling to make money so that's why you drive it like your own it and you inspect it every chance you can. I don't mean to do a full post trip inspection when you stop every time but you look very close during pre-trip and a keep a close eye on everything during the shift. It's easy to catch u-bolts before they explode and damage the back-end of the tractor. Then you save time to fix it which means you're back on the road making money. Just talk with some O/O's and they'll tell you how to catch problems before they become massive headaches.

 

[h=2]Habits You Developed to Ensure Safety and Preservation of Your License[/h]What GasHauler said...plus always expect the un-expected....even from fellow truckers. Be very , very Pro-active , instead of being forced to be Re-active in your approach to driving , driving as far as you can see in front of you and reading every sign , mm , billboard , etc that you pass. You'll be surprised at how those little tricks , along with keeping a good attitude , and a cool-head about you will benefit your driving capabilities.

 

What I find is fun is when you know what the car around you is going to do before they do. Out of state plates and a map in hand = give extra room.

 

Thank you for your kind response to my post. Sounds from my reading of your posts in this thread and others that you are well on your way on your journey to become a great driver.

After a little more thinking about this thread it reminded me of my first thread I created on TTR:

The "Sweet Spot" (best MPG)

You'll notice in that thread I received some schooling on how modern trucks are set up for best mpg. You see, I was used to driving 1970's vintage rigs during an era when getting great fuel mileage meant getting on the CB and rallying up a convoy so we could draft each other and then celebrate when we got to 5 mpg. Getting back into the game with these new engines, regulations, and lack of convoys meant I needed to relearn how to drive.

I always kept in mind the Parable of the Profitable Servant. Whether I was an employee or a business owner, I always wanted to maximize profit for the company, and as a driver that means trying to drive as efficiently and safely as possible.

I think you'll find that with your truck you'll likely be best served to keep the rpm's around 1250 +/- 100 for normal operations. In most modern trucks maximum torque will be around 1100 and maximum horsepower will be around 1400 to 1500, so that's why the mega carriers seem to set up their top gear cruise control governed speed to match that magical 1250 rpm to split the difference.

 

Good job. Like my crabby old flight instructor always used to tell me 'fly the #### plane don't let it fly you' lol

good advice that translates well to the truck.

i think you'll quickly find as well that driving like that the fuel gauge won't head towards empty so fast and you won't fuel as often as well

 

When will you so called drivers realize speeding has nothing to do with more miles.for me anyway

 

What speeding does is bring your hourly rate up if paid by the mile. That's the only thing I can figure why these guys speed!

 

If you are using shortcuts,then you dont belong behind the wheel.Try paying attention.

 

some of you forum members probably consider running the speed limit to be speeding. i just keep up with traffic. I lie. i get out ahead of the traffic especially the cluster truckers. you cluster truckers make me nervous staying all bunched up.

most reasonable states,california is not where i roll so whatever,allow around 5 mph over it seems .is that speeding? if so i am guilty.