What do you think of the new aerodynamic trucks vs the old long hood

As far as fuel economy debate, I'll point you to some info so you can do your own research. The people who wrote this paper know more about the subject then anyone commenting here. Read for yourself:

www.kenworth.com/FuelEconomy WhitePaper.pdf

Edit:

You can do a Google search for this. I tried link after posting but only gave error page. I will try to upload in another way.

 

You can access White Paper link here:

http://www.google.com/search?q=www.kenworth.com%2FFuelEconomy+WhitePaper.pdf+text+version&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a

 

I have too agree with most everything here, on milage and stuff, but last truck i drove was a century condo, they would send me everywere with it, i just walked out if dispacth, when anthor driver , looked at my dispacth, going to jersy huh, yup, well i've been there and you cant get in there , too back up too the dock, o-really, hum , i like a challange, so off i went, got there, sized it up and with a bit finess back it right in , so i'm thinking this was driver , that didnt like the east coast or this place, but i had no problem as he said it was a day cab dock,i really dont care if working company or o/o, i treat all the truck's and trls the same, as if were mine and my last trip out , back to yard too drop and run with loaded, i had full load of brake drums on the floor, still coming back from the east , i still pulled 6.5 on my century, according too the the tattle tale on dash comp, so they called me in , here , o great now what kinda thought goes thru your mind thing, heres the pizza card for pizza joint in town, for what, best avg milage for the week,well thanks, but that how i treat truck's as if there my own and paying for the fuel, even tho they are

 

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Can anyone translate this?

 

Explain that to all the guys making money and NOT driving a plastic aero truck.

 

I have noticed that those running a hood making money are specialized or running a special contract, etc. I have not seen a lot of first hand responders running dry vans lease on to carriers.

I think we have beat this horse sufficiently; no lease on, regional, or van puller running a hood has bragged about how well their bottom line is looking.

Flatbedders have spoken up to say they are doing as well with hoods as aero cabs are in their craft.

The White paper shows, if you dissect its contents, there are some savings to be expected by running aero trucks if the correct layout is selected, keeping your speed down, and ensuring your truck is set up correctly. Raised roof for van / refer, mid top or flat top for tanker / flat bed, depending on loads.

Big companies concentrate on bottom line and choose aero cabs to be successful. Their analysis is more in depth than any of us have the ability or resources to produce.

If you like a hood, then you like a hood; I like the W900 as it is a classic styled tractor and I believe is beautiful. However, as a van puller, and all financial factors considered, I just don't see how it would make financial sense to get one instead of a Cascadia; even with the additional resale; a dollar today buys more than a dollar will in 5 or 10 years.

 

Ill take me a cabover pete, yall can have the rest

 

To go back to backing for a second, ive seen hoods back into place in nyc that swifty with a daycab couldnt do, so the backing issue shouldnt matter. Another issue is truck set up. A truck that the company doc has neutered will burn more fuel and have to drop more gears that a truck set up right will pulling a hill pound for pound. I found this out after talking to a o/o after crossing i80 thru pa. We both weighed within 1k of each other, both running hoods (well mine is a short hood) and he did about .5 mpg better than me.

 

I love my cascadia! Of course I get a new one every 2 or 3 years so they aren't really a "freight shaker" yet lol. I will say that the longer nosed ones really look sharp. But I don't like not being able to see 4 feet in front of me. Also there's a lot of places that I go that are pretty tight so the shorter ones are easier to get into them. I watched a stretched out Pete the other night (I mean stretched frame as well as long nose) with a spread axle trailer try to get in a door and omg alls I could think of is WHY? Of course he had the 5foot high shifter also lolh not trying to knock those trucks they are definitely sharp looking but I guess I like easy better