Why don't trucks go 55 for fuel efficiency?

I'd give it 13 to 13.5 hrs. Basically parts of 2 days to play it safe.

 

I get the part about the trucker passing you multiple times but maybe he stopped and got fuel or something to eat and still ended up ahead of another slower truck??
I personally won’t run with a governed pack of drivers
Not always but more times than not are they the ones that can’t even drive the truck at a lower speed

 

I think people are better off tailoring their policies to their own situations rather than all using a simplified blanket formula that excludes real world variables. Some guy who does 2600 miles per week on 3 dedicated round trips and has enough time to get a 34 in on the weekend gains nothing by going faster except some extra time in front of a TV.

As for me, if it makes no difference I'll take it easy, but if it's a FCFS delivery I'll usually open it up some and pick up some time I can profit from. Although 55 is a little too slow for me. I think that number was pulled from how vehicles were built in the 1970's. We've got 8 and 9 speed trannys in cars these days, so the theory needs to change with the times.

Just my $0.02.

 

Simplified answer, money.


Trucking still commonly pays CPM (cents per mile) instead of hourly that is common in other occupations.

Scenario 1
A driver can either make $200 for ten hours of work or make the same $200 for nine hours of work simply by increasing their speed. (If miles driven is a set amount) Fuel is paid for by the company, not the driver. Why would a driver work more hours for the same pay?

Scenario 2
Truckers are limited by law the maximum hours they may work.
A driver can either make $200 for ten hours of driving or can make $225 for the same ten hours of driving but going 10 mph faster. (Based on .50 cpm that is considered on the lower end of the pay scale)
If only working five days a week that adds up to $6500 over the course of a year. This can easily be over $10,000 for driver making a higher CPM.

 

Yeah I agree and even in my little fleet it would effect some drivers/routes more then others. My guy who runs west coast and back would get totally screwed. He’s set at 75 and runs 750 miles everyday routinely. Actually much more considering there is 24 hours in a day. He literally doesn’t waste even 1 minute. That’s what he loves to do though and grosses 100k/yr, so to each their own.

Then I have some more local guys that don’t get in too big of a hurry unless needed. Even set at 70, cruising around 65 does the trick.

The more regional pretty much let it ride on the 70 mph limiter.

 

I'm actually pretty amazed how fast these guys run the trucks these days. It's like they all go 70 or better now, which compared to even 10 years ago when most big fleets were governed at 65 or less it just seems like they don't care as much about MPG these days...just get the load there as fast as you legally can I guess.

Ideal fuel economy is probably running around 45-50 mph with the trans in 1:1 and the air isn't pushing back on your nearly as hard as 65-70 mph air is. I read that in an article somewhere discussing the ideal speed to run autonomous trucks (yeah, yeah I know...) where HOS and driver fatigue isn't a factor. In the real world of course, where driver's still have to drive the trucks, 45-50 mph doesn't get the load there fast enough and whatever donuts you saved on fuel cost you diamonds worth of lost revenue at the end of the month/year. 65 has always been fast enough for me unless I was in a real specific hurry.

 

Unless you're running the lower 48, particularly all points between I-35 and Southern Cal, I don't really see a benefit in going faster. Our running lanes are from Denver east. Its congested once you get to Kansas City. You won't be able to even sustain 75 in the easter half of the country. Many major cities, lots of 4 wheelers, some mountains, quite a few detractors. Get I-10 from San Antonio westbound, there's another story. Its ain't really nothing to slow you down til Arizona expect hills here and there, then there's Phoenix and to a lesser degree Tucson, then smooth sailing again.

 

Anybody who drives 55 all day.. is gay , can I get an amen?

 

Most of the northeast 75 will get you pulled over doing 10 over. Only exception is running with the flow of traffic in rush hour in a big metro area

 

55 might get you better mileage.

But what nobody brings up.

Engine run time. And gallons consumed for the trip.

It's going to take you longer to get there. Which means that engine is still running and burning fuel.

Do you save any fuel driving 12 hours at 55
Over 10 hours at 70?

Besides what others mentioned. Loss of loads.