How many hours/miles can you go on full tanks

I have a different take on it. I fuel where it's open and easy. I have gotten to a point where I simply cannot stand waiting in line at the fuel island. So, if it's open, I fuel. I counter the additional on duty time by logging only a 7 or 8 minute PTI, 5 or 6 to fuel and I'm good to go.

 

Exactly, this is why as a driver you MUST have a good relationship with your FM. A lot of carriers dictate where you fuel and how much you buy. Many times in my career I blew off a bad situation because of long lines and my FM almost always gave me the option.

 

Usually the first thing in the morning I fuel. Make my coffee, do a quick pretrip, pull up to the fuel island. Do a complete pretrip and use the restroom and boom done.

 

Way too many variables. Among others is traffic conditions, weather conditions, weight distribution, truck type (aerodynamics), size of engine, new vs older engine, how much is bio diesel mixture, etc. Way too many.

We average about 1100-1200 miles, but do our best to keep from getting less than about 30-40 gallons before fueling.

 

Another thing to consider is the weight of fuel. Because of this most carriers when they order new trucks they most of the time go with either 90 or 100 gallon tanks. Those big tanks while nice full add anywhere from 700 to 1000 pounds of fuel. My average mileage on full tanks was around 1,000 miles. I hardly ever went more then 800 miles before I was looking for fuel.

 

You're right. In my line of work, we play the "weighting game" all the time. Need to be able to scale 50,000 pounds. I can do it with anything less than half a tank. That's why I hardly ever fill up. With my 300 gallon capacity, I can actually gain a ton from empty to full.

 

I go by the price of fuel along the way. Well that and where I can get a quality fuel say B5 or better. Doesn't matter where I'm at on the gauge, it all depends on where I'm fueling next. I've taken my 70 down to a few minutes before but don't do that as a rule. Typically have a few hours left when I reset so may as well spend it fueling at the best price point vs need. Hope that all makes sense.

And yeah, too many variables for an "average" mileage. My tanks are 100 gallons each with a draw of 160 gallons max. I know about how far given a certain weight / route but I don't push it too much.

 

Running to the oil field I can go for days without fueling if I do nothing but short local runs. I learned a lesson early in this gig: never EVER get off the paved roads without at least 3/8 of a tank, and preferably half. Churning for hours in mud in low range tends to burn through the remainder of a tank in a hurry. Make a wrong turn and you can spend an hour or more trying to find a spot to execute a 9 point turn... "Was I supposed to turn left at the cattle guard with the broken tree?"

Over the road I fill up once a day. Something about the Comdata system noting time and place meant fuel early a.m. rather than just before midnight. Just sayin'...

 

Depends on the weather forecast for me and the price of fuel on my route as to how much I buy and where .
When I bought this truck last Jan the fuel mileage was in the high 4s and low 5s and thru some improvements it's consistently doing lows 6s to mid 6s now .
Running a 1000 miles on fill ups now but in extreme cold won't run it below a 1/4 .