Fuel costs/ Mile.

[KenOVM]

I ain't gonna beat up on the price of fuel, but instead gonna tell ya a story about costs and such!

The last couple times out I've been tracking my MPG the best I could and have come to some not too startling facts.

Call it the tale of two drivers. Now JuJU is in my opinion, a little heavy footed especially for the times or maybe I am just a granny driver. Out west here the 75mph is a fuel killer it's great to get somewhere faster BUT theres a cost .
My totals tell me when JuJu drives and I don't nag her, we get around 21.4 to 21.9mpg's and I get 21.8 to 24.4mpg

Juju does the speed limit plus the standard 5 over which means almost 80 out west. I on the other hand if traffic is medium and I'll be in the way I'll do the 75 and in light traffic its around 70-72mpg. In a 65mpg I'll do 65-68mph and so forth down the scale.

A little round off math on the above. It tells me I am getting approx. no less then 1 mile per gallon better on average. Now our tank is 26g's soooo thats 26 miles per tank? yes no? or one gallon per tank on her? For ease of dividing lets use $2.60 /G. Thats 10 cents a gallon either saving or cost depends on how one looks at it!!
Now if I use the high and low its almost 3mpg difference so times 3 is $7.80/tankful. Or a reduction of .30 cents/ gallon. Better yet you use a tank a day so....$39.00 per week in YOUR pocket not the oil companys!

Ya see my point? So when NOT under load why speed? The limits 70 amd no traffic why not do 65mph? And so forth. Slow down where possible and save yourself some money! And check that tire pressure!!!

[D_Green]

I can relate to the "wife's" driving style. (well, at least the complaining part) :D

My wife drove a school bus for 17 years, and those drivers (here, anyway) are paid by the route. So, if you had a long route & it paid $60, if you could cut your time by 1/2 hr per day, you were "in the money".

Since someone else was buying the fuel & maintenance, my wife stayed "in the money". BUT, it's still ....mash the gas...mash the brake....go-go-go...coast to a stop?? coast is a dirty word :angry:

hehe, I put her on a weekly fuel budget. What she saves, she keeps to spend on herself..works so far.

I hope she doesn't read this

:rofl: :rofl:

[windcatcher]

Oh! You guys are really hard on us gals! :ninja:

[Uturn2001]

Not meaning to nag on the ladies, but on a few other trucking boards I visit, every time the subject comes up of slowing down, governed trucks etc it is the female posters who scream the loudest. :yikes: :yikes: :yikes: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[windcatcher]

Personally, Uturn, if I were driving team, I'd prefer the part in the middle where Im driving mostly highway and at highway speeds. So if I were driving mostly the interstates and other half was driving more of the municipal or off interstate rurals.... the evidence would be represented in fuel usage and vice versa...... BTW, I'm usually pretty good at guaging traffic lights....but then increased traffic may make that impractical so time of day plays important part as to what efforts are used to gain fuel economy and at the same time meet the deadlines. Just imo.

I would think that being able to maintain a consistant speed without unnecessary interruption, would be the greatest economy, as opposed to going so fast that one has to break frequently behind slower traffic until it is clear to pass.

Swift's trucks were governed but other professional knew this so they started preparing to pass on approach.... But not all trucks on the the road have such high recognition..even for the professional driver.

A governed truck would be no problem for me as long as it gives me a little breathing room above the posted speed. It's not so much that I'd want to exceed speed limits....but if necessary, if additional speed might make the difference to power out of a possible collision, or tire failure, or skid, I'd like to have that power and room to do it.

Governed trucks may limit speed below the posted limit for the road. What's the difference between that and the divided speed limits enforced in some states....except that in one it is obvious to all through the postings of the split speeds...but in the other case, approaching traffic from behind may not realize that your going slower, due to being governed, in time for them to make the necessary choice to pull out and pass.

Its not that I'd prefer to speed....but if given the choice of exceeding the posted speed on the interstates vs exceeding the posted speeds on secondary roads....I'd say the interstate is safer...even when limits are exceeded. But secondary roads are often not safe for trucks at the posted limits for cars, particularly where there are curves, hidden drives, and pedestrians, especially children, likely to be around.

Now, you guys, since you seem to be the wiser regarding this area of knowledge...Exactly where is excess fuel consummed and how can you teach us where to be more economical.......Please. Curious minds would like to know. ty :)

[KenOVM]

I don't know so much about the bigger guys but I know from Experience depending on vehicle anywhere after 70mph you can almost se the gas gauge go down.