Is there a scientific chart showing how much fuel you save by going slower?

Do all the loads pay the same?

Many variables.

There's very few times I've ever been unloaded early, especially like a day early, at big players.

You plan on pre planning yourself? That can be a mean game as well. What if the receiver your at is some how emotionally compromised for what ever reason known only unto Almighty God, and it takes him/her/it FOREVER to unload you, then you miss your reload?

 

If driving faster will for sure get you another load, you're probably better off driving faster. Depending on your operation, that could be a big if.

 

I did not want to come off as smart@$$ in my previous responses since I dont own a truck yet...but lemme chime in here.

As an Econ & Accounting major, there is something called "Law of Diminishing Returns"...it simple terms, the revenue generated by additional loads will only go so far. Any extra load at some point, no longer yields as much.

While all you snagging all these "extra" loads, guess what is happening?....The cost of operation is right behind ya, steadily creeping up.

What is happening all along is that you need more maintenance "sooner". Also, the wear & tear is catching up to your equipment. So, while your revenues went up, so did your cost(s)....all costs (fuel/tires/maintenance etc)

The real argument is not whether the fuel savings are huge to overtake the profit...but rather, the SUM TOTAL of the variable cost savings usually ends up being greater than the profit generated....plus less wear & tear on yourself....FYI...getting sick is expensive

 

In other words better to wear body armor pending being shot for 700 dollars than to endure a medical work up for 30,000 dollars to 100,000 first week in trauma level one for a GSW...

I prefer not to live in a area with that kind of financial risk. That is a form of savings?

 

Just bought a 389 in Utah and drove it back east. avg. 9.4 mpg bobtailing 2,200 miles at 68 mph. Used it pulling tandem trailers this past week and avg 5.5 mpg doing 70+ mph. Slowed it down to 65 and got 6.2 mpg. Now its a 600 hp isx with a 18 speed and 336 rear end. i'm also running 22.5's. This first couple weeks is pure research about the sweet spot in this particular truck. In the end I burn about 8 gal. more than the freight shaker that I use to drive over the length of one day(475 miles on average), but I also had to pull 2 28,000 pound trailers up some hills and I wasn't too concerned about the fuel economy.
I realize that the truck was an emotional buy, which isn't the thing to do when in business, but there is a thing called taking pride in your work. If I have to spend 12 hours a day in something I want to be proud of what it is. I'm sorry but a plastic truck isn't it. I'm sacrificing some for it, but it's a price I'm willing to take. I won't get another load if I drive faster and I do the same runs every night so I learned where I can hammer down and where I should let up. Putting a little extra chrome on it won't slow it down, but at least I'll have a smile on my face as I walk up to it, not pulling the hat down over my head like I did in the shaker.
Like I said, I'm still learning the best place for the truck and hopefully will have a better understanding in a month's time. The numbers here only show the fuel burn over 5 days or so. It's also winter and the idle time is really throwing things off. When I was travelling east it was rolling almost the whole time so no wasted fuel. Here I go home every night and have to warm it up and cool it down in the end.

 

I drive faster because I can. I don't give a #### what anyone says or thinks about what's going out the stacks either. My truck and I will run it as I please. On Friday are you doing 62 mph to save a few dollars? I'm going to the house get the #### out of the left lane.....

 

I'm sorry but your whole response got nothing to do with what the OP is asking...lol

OP: fuel savings vs. grab another load

You: fuel savings vs. getting home on friday

focus, people, focus

 

I know and I don't give a #### either. I find it amusing. Fuel has never been a factor in make it or break it for me. I run van freight and now reefer. Most competitive segment in trucking. I'm more concerned with where the shortage of trucks is at.

 

The other interesting thing is the rate at which tires are getiing worn out depending on a speed.

 

@rollin coal .... Oh ok...thats cool

FYI....I know friday poontang tastes better, so I understand the hammer down on left lane...lol