First Time For Everything

Isn’t 58-60 mph on the interstate considered as impeding traffic? Lol.

Recently watched a video put out by an older driver who is an O/O. He said he cruises at 60 mph for maximum fuel efficiency. I guess that makes sense because he is paying for his own fuel. Personally, I like to do my max of 68 mph when on long stretches of interstate (if conditions permit). When I got my truck several months ago, it was at 7.1 mpg. Now it’s up to 7.7 mpg. Some drivers at my company average slightly over 8.0 mpg. However, we don’t get any fuel economy bonus, so most drivers I have spoken with are more focused on getting more miles than getting better fuel economy. For drivers on TT, what are your thoughts about the speed/fuel economy relationship?

we don’t get any fuel economy bonus, so most drivers I have spoken with are more focused on getting more miles than getting better fuel economy. For drivers on TT, what are your thoughts about the speed/fuel economy relationship?

There is definitely a relationship between fuel economy and speed. Less speed running low RPMs in the low end of a diesel engine's power curve always yields better fuel mileage. That's physics 101 type of stuff.

What throws people off is this idea that they can turn more miles by having a truck governed at 70 as opposed to someone else governed at 62. It's simply not true.

We operate in a real world that has a lot of variables. They cannot be avoided in the transportation business. That's why it's not really impressive when you hear a driver boasting of a 750 mile day. It means nothing in the big picture. There's no way a driver going 62 will ever do it, but he can easily accomplish more in a quarter or a year due to his talents at trip planning and effective communications with the office.

An effective driver learns to have better control over the variables and even to predict them prior to being crippled by them. He sits a lot less and gets to use his limited time more wisely and effectively.

It's a great lesson for newbies to understand. I know some of you are doubtful about what I'm saying, but it's true. You would probably be surprised when you learn I cruise the interstates at 62. I can go faster, but that is my speed of choice. For nine years straight I have been the most productive driver in my fleet.

Don't confuse speed with productivity in trucking. That relationship doesn't exist.

I'm of the better fuel economy mentality. I drive like this in my POVs as well. I average 3-5 mpg more than my wife in the same car. She always asks how I do it. Easy, I don't floor it, i dont speed, I use CC most of the time, and when I'm not using CC I'm steady on the throttle, not on and off. Her answer: "whatever." Lol

Isn’t 58-60 mph on the interstate considered as impeding traffic? Lol.

Recently watched a video put out by an older driver who is an O/O. He said he cruises at 60 mph for maximum fuel efficiency. I guess that makes sense because he is paying for his own fuel. Personally, I like to do my max of 68 mph when on long stretches of interstate (if conditions permit). When I got my truck several months ago, it was at 7.1 mpg. Now it’s up to 7.7 mpg. Some drivers at my company average slightly over 8.0 mpg. However, we don’t get any fuel economy bonus, so most drivers I have spoken with are more focused on getting more miles than getting better fuel economy. For drivers on TT, what are your thoughts about the speed/fuel economy relationship?

Yezir Old school. I share your thoughts. My causing speed is almost always 62 mph on the interstate unless the traffic flow is low and I'm in flat terrain. Then I might bump it up. But 62 or 63 almost always feels right. In the mountains of NY, PA and MD, I set at 60 and let those Jake's hold me back. Sometimes though, I'll need to do a little controlled breaking, especially on route 68.

The same mentality applies to 4-wheelers. They think by driving faster they can get there faster. Not really going to happen.

Veriha uses an app to track fuel efficiency. It will show us whether we waste fuel idling, cruising, or through throttle control. I'm usually in the over 99% efficient range. The way I see it, some of that comes back in my performance bonus every quarter because a percentage of my bonus is based on revenue generated. Well, if I save them 1.5 mpg over 10,000 miles, that's a savings of about 300 gallons or $1500 dollars in revenue.

I'll be honest, driving over 70 mph in a fully loaded combo just doesn't make sense to me. Too much to go sideways with less control over it.

As always, good info here on TT.

we don’t get any fuel economy bonus, so most drivers I have spoken with are more focused on getting more miles than getting better fuel economy. For drivers on TT, what are your thoughts about the speed/fuel economy relationship?

There is definitely a relationship between fuel economy and speed. Less speed running low RPMs in the low end of a diesel engine's power curve always yields better fuel mileage. That's physics 101 type of stuff.

What throws people off is this idea that they can turn more miles by having a truck governed at 70 as opposed to someone else governed at 62. It's simply not true.

We operate in a real world that has a lot of variables. They cannot be avoided in the transportation business. That's why it's not really impressive when you hear a driver boasting of a 750 mile day. It means nothing in the big picture. There's no way a driver going 62 will ever do it, but he can easily accomplish more in a quarter or a year due to his talents at trip planning and effective communications with the office.

An effective driver learns to have better control over the variables and even to predict them prior to being crippled by them. He sits a lot less and gets to use his limited time more wisely and effectively.

It's a great lesson for newbies to understand. I know some of you are doubtful about what I'm saying, but it's true. You would probably be surprised when you learn I cruise the interstates at 62. I can go faster, but that is my speed of choice. For nine years straight I have been the most productive driver in my fleet.

Don't confuse speed with productivity in trucking. That relationship doesn't exist.

Welcome to the night driving club. This is how I make my living.

My Prime company truck is governed to 62 on cruise and 57/58 on the pedal. I typically cruise at 60 when I can.

I think the slower pedal limit is to slow us down when cannot use cruise.