Here is what I have come to the conclusion. I can not control anything except how fast I drive that truck and how I drive it. I have done lots of different experiments on going as fast as I could and hoping to get another load ect. Sometimes it worked out, but usually I got slowed down or detained ect. So I can not guarantee I will get another load per week because of the things out of my control. I can control to a certain degree how much mpg I get and I know that a fuel bonus is coming. So now I drive 57 mpg most of the time. When I am on my way home, I even slow down to 55 to get as much as I can out of the truck. Sometimes when I am mt and have the time, I slow down to 55 as well. I use Sarge and Sewerman as my models and they have been successful at this for years. Also, since this is what the company is looking for, I am going to be in the top rung of drivers. My miles have not gone down and I am a lot more relaxed and an enjoying the ride alot more. If there ever is another slow down, I am not going to be one of the ones let go because I am going to be a top performer! Attitude is everything!
I agree with the fact that slowing down does not affect your miles per week. The main thing I've found to get in an "extra" load is being smart about where you spend the night. Also when you know some of the customers and know they have no problem taking you early you can send in your empty 12 hours or so before they expected it. But speed will not get you any more loads.
Hmmm my understanding is all Cascadias are dd15 not dd13?? Not worried about the numbers?? You wont last much longer here with that attitude. I always hear drivers complain about engine cutbacks and how the company is nessing the engines up blah blah blah. That is so much bs! Maverick works with Freightliner for their programming,where do you think the software comes from and who do you think trains the techs? Start paying for your own fuel and see how you feel about your driver blowing money out the exhaust. On the OOR,yeah some months its worse than others but saying the tariff miles are impossible to stay close to is something I hear from whiners not doing a proper route plan. Quit shying away from side roads! I talked to a guy the other day who drove over 200mi out of route to avoid 100mi of two lane! Wtf? Ive been with Maverick 9yrs and my oor has never remained over 10% for more than a month! Bottom line,quit whinin about the company and correct your mistakes first. Your attitude shows me you arent trying to correct the situation. I see drivers like this everytime Im in the yard,they gather for group b##ch sessions and try to pull others in. They dont like it when I start asking questions about them and what have THEY done to remedy the situation? B##chin at the yard is NOT a solution.
The new trucks have the DD 13. I do believe they are rated at 420 HP. The way some of these guys whine about the truck pulling Hills. I would've loved to seen them back in the days when all you had was to 250 to 300 HP motors. Used to climb fancy gap at 10 mile an hour and nowadays they complain about the 35 to 40 mile an hour. I would say 35% of a truck fuel mileage is driver related. Being a old O/O babying my truck and saving fuel was my number one goal. What I saved in tires, fuel and wear and tear added significantly to my bottom-line. I drive the same in my company truck. Last Sunday I was 7.74 fuel and 6% out of route. Just to show what is possible in fuel bonus last year was over $3000. I have helped many drivers bring there MPG to over 7 with just a little tweak here and there. I do believe that this will be interesting to see the different responses. I'm not judgmental drive anyway you like it's not my truck and not my fuel. Drive safe and enjoy the ride.
Slowing down may not affect miles per week, but it does directly affect other things like your 70 hour, home time, routing flexibility, etc. Of course, if a driver chooses to lie through his teeth, "protecting the 70" should not be a major concern. Driving smart and just driving 57 are two different things. There is no guarantee whether the truck is driven fast or slow as to the total miles driven each week. But, when getting home on Friday instead of Saturday is the difference between a reset and running on recap, I'll choose the reset nearly every time and be home with my family. My family is worth more than any fuel bonus Maverick has ever and will ever offer. I could get better fuel mileage, but the incentive doesn't hold ugh value with me. What Maverick has to offer is nearly the best that it can be for their business model and that means that a guy like me can fit in even when the needs and values of others are vastly different. My OOR is another hoot altogether. Nearly every trip I make is under 10%. Home time is usually my biggest offender. I've had MANY weekends with 500 mile runs and 150 miles OOR. That's not so easy to make up for during the week. If the miles I drove at the end of the week that count for the following week were not included in the Sunday message, I would be closer to 10.5% at the moment. Seawheeler, crippled meaning the variations in driving techniques between drivers has been greatly homogenized through programming. I don't believe for one second that a better truck than factory is being created. But, I do believe the experience, for better or worse, has been manipulated to create the narrowest margin of difference between vastly different driving styles. It's Maverick's prerogative to do so. It's not something I agree with, but it really doesn't matter what my opinion is.
Sewerman told me he heard the 2013 were Dd13 which is a smaller engine and weighs less and I think.25 less horsepower....I think....
