new o/o...need some help with fuel costs

I'd say that's pretty normal. On an average week, I pump in $1400 worth--110 gallons a day. (I only run 5 days a week)

 

See..... I'm not just another pretty face.... I can do math.

 

I think your husband has made every effort possible to manage fuel cost. Good MPG and an APU.

The only thing left, is the money issue. If the cost of fuel is taking so much from his check that he is unable to meet other truck and household expenses. He has to get a larger check.

Running more miles won't fix it. He has to earn more per mile...period.

That said, if they are paying him a decent rate. There are other issues here.

 

have you heard of fuel optimazation and know how to work it ?

 

I would fill up so that I am always at the truck stop with the best price and in a state that has the lowest fuel tax rate

 

I'm not an O/O. But I do have enough experience to tell you, that's a double edged sword.

You want to fill, when you're someplace the fuel is the least expensive. But, if the fuel thieves hit you. They strike a jackpot.

Topping out insures you always have fuel, for the most part. Taking on just what you need, insures more money going into the bank...for a short term benefit.

You still pay for the fuel. You still use the fuel, regardless of how much you buy on one particular trip.

Careful planning of your fuel stops can reduce cost. But you also have to take into account, fuel taxes.

Personally, I wouldn't top off if fuel cost were cheaper 100 miles down the road. But I wouldn't want to be 100 miles from the nearest fuel stop, not knowing if I could make it to the fuel stop. Service calls are VERY expensive.

 

Thats bad advise. You will end up with a huge IFTA bill if you are running thru states that have a high fuel tax and you're not buying fuel in that state. You really gotta deduct the state fuel tax from your cash price to get your base price. Compare prices in states along your route and plan to hit fuel stops where your base price in the lowest. In other words, dont be frightened by high pump prices. Before tax they can often end up cheaper than fuel bought in a "low tax state" eg: Dont be fooled by the cheap fuel in Indiana. There is an 11 cents surcharge per gallon come IFTA reporting time.

If at the end of the quarter you paid extra taxes at pump, no matter. Your IFTA account will show a credit.

 

I agree with Wobbles, you can wind up owing IFTA at the end of the quarter. When you get your quarterly IFTA return form in the mail, it comes with a list of each states current IFTA tax rate, you will learn real soon where to buy and where not to. Where I normally run, I keep an eye on which places have the best fuel prices and try to make them a regular stop. I try to fill up where its a good deal, If I need fuel and am where the price is high, sometimes I will buy enough to get to where the fuel is cheaper.
I found a .41 difference in price here in Colorado last Monday Between Denver and where I fueled about 30 miles south of town. I put in 187 gallons, that saved me around $75 bucks. I know about the place and keep an eye on their price, sometimes they are cheaper sometimes not. Every little bit helps, if I could save that much every time, I could wind up saving $600 or more every month. Too bad it can't always work that way. There is a grocery store in my little town that is consistantly .20 to .30 cheaper than the truck stops in Denver. I fuel there a lot at the beginning of the week, its a pain in the rear because I have to drop the trailer and it takes 30 to 40 minutes to fill up with their car sized nozzle but to save 50 or more dollars, I will do it. Some people call me a cheapskate but I don't care.