What's the absolute optimum speed for fuel mileage?

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by PermanentTourist, Jun 4, 2022.

  1. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    It always requires less energy to move 80,000 lbs slower than faster.
     
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  3. PermanentTourist

    PermanentTourist Heavy Load Member

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    Definitely. It also requires even less energy to move 60,000 pounds. This is why these days I ain't touching heavy load unless they are paying over $4 a mile and there is nothing better available.
     
  4. Siinman

    Siinman Road Train Member

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    Ha ha that just nailed my life to a pin point. Me all day everyday.
     
  5. F4T6UY

    F4T6UY Medium Load Member

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    I stay out 2-3 weeks. Pretty much east of I-35, southish of I-70, and west of I-65. I live in South Texas.

    Just offering a perspective on your resetting on the weekends strategy. Most of the time my freight (dryvan) is just Monday-Friday 8-5 as well. I refuse to reset on the road. So rather that giving the revenue calendar 2 days out of the week for free, I find something picking up on Friday 500-800 miles away that has some of that “sitting a day” rate added. Then I just slow roll the weekend, gaining some of those hours that I might have pushed during the week.

    I aim for 1500 a day gross as well, but as an average for everyday I’m gone from the house. Weekends count towards that as well. So I aim for a $2-4k weekend load.

    I drive in that 60-65 mph range, all pedal, rarely on cruise even in the flats. 6. 8mpg in last 90 days. FLD120 series 60 with 3.73 gears.

    And you’re right. Squeezing hours and days out of the fiscal calendar is how it’s done. But most of the time going slower won’t effect that.

    I’ve found that a 2-3 week casual grind is more profitable than a 5 day blitz and weekend reset.

    Plus I can better justify that 2 weeks at the house while I find the motivation to crawl back in the truck. I like my house.
     
  6. Dave_in_AZ

    Dave_in_AZ Road Train Member

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    One of the only things that classifies Blackie as " Broken" is if the cruise doesn't work.
     
  7. Dadetrucking305

    Dadetrucking305 Heavy Load Member

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    As a Ukrainian you’ll appreciate this then.Wife made it for me but put it on a little sideways lol. Slava Ukraini!
     

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  8. PermanentTourist

    PermanentTourist Heavy Load Member

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    Right on brother!
     
  9. abyliks

    abyliks Road Train Member

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    never mind running the weekend, that $50 isn’t worth losing a night at home

    I never use cruise even on our trucks that are equipped with it, there’s not a flat stretch of road anywhere around me,

    I’m glad some of you are able to get good mpg, but 90,000+ in the hills of the north east with a 282” wheel base isn’t happening for me, which is why I bid stuff to make money or just let the truck sit, 5.4 mpg was my last quarter

    I’m also a lazy hard worker, most of my weeks are about 1000-1200 miles, doesn’t mean I don’t still do the occasional 800+ mile day when I can make a buck
     
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2022
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