What are you doing to save fuel?
 

Also are you getting fuel surcharge on all loads? When dealing with brokers, "its included in the rate" how much do you allocate for fuel surcharge?

FSC doesn't exist for us. Our rates are "all in". As for saving fuel, the only thing we can do is reduce the out of route and dead miles as much as possible.

I don't worry about a FSC. My quotes are based on my operating expenses which takes that day's fuel prices into consideration. I have yet to have a broker ask, "What about a fuel surcharge?" after I give them a quote :lol:

I dropped my ass to 65mph and not a mile more, difference is about 1/2mpg in savings and i aint going back, no sir ! :)

FSG is based on how many miles load covers, i take about a 100 extra compared to what i did in December when the fuel was 2.30-40pg...
Some wont even pay that :roll:

I go on alot of vacations so my trucks dont move.

The higher the fuel... the more I make. 8)

Re: What are you doing to save fuel?
 

Yes, if it doesn't have FSC, i don't move it. And those FSC covers more than a half of my fuel cost.
As of to conserving fuel, I've always was that way, even when fuel was for under a buck a gallon. Penny saved, is penny earned! :wink: 8)

I keep a close eye on my tire pressure, keep the trailer close to the cab, and use PrePass.

Brian's method is the most foolproof though, he knows how to save fuel the easy way :lol:

[quote="BanditsCousin"] keep the trailer close to the cabquote]

Apparently you've never been to the "Jason School of Trucking the Cool Way"..

Rule #1.) You need atleast a 6 foot gap between the cab and the trailer

Not great on fuel, but the price of cool ain't cheap :)

FSC- Landstar pays a hodge podge. If the contract stipulates an fsc, we get 100%. I've got a load coming up paying 33cpm, wish I could tell you that is typical. What I find more often is the agents breaking an fsc out of the linehaul. With fuel at 2.80/gal, Landstar has been capping that around 20 cpm- not good!

I found a trucking show on XM that actually provides useful information. Some guy named Ken and I believe he is with American Truck Business Services, though I could be mistaken. Says he used to run steer tires on his drives for fuel economy which I find intriguing. I look at these deep lugs on my Bridgestones and I think, 'is that really necessary?' Any of you have experience running more of a 'road tire' on your drives?

- Drive at 60 mph

- Eliminate idling

- Max warm up and cool down 2 minutes, more is unnecassary

- Maximize aerodynamics, try to have the trailer up as far as possible(due to my volvo being a pig, thats about 2/3 the way back!)

- Ensure I fuel at the best locations possible, south beloit flying hook is a pretty good one. Fuel in Canada is always cheaper.

- Take it easy coming off stops

- Conserve momentum, not rushing up to a red light

- Kicking the clutch in earlier, and more coasting

- Coasting is key

- Keep the truck maintained, including fuel filters, valve sets, and air filters


Last trip I averaged 7.7 mpg.

I know guys that run all-position tires on tractor and trailer. New tires go on the trailer for 20-40,000, supposedly to "round them out" then they get moved to the steers. You have less tread depth to start with but less resistance with those tires.

What does that mean? Same tire on steer, drives and trailer? Aren't trailer tires usually cheaper than steer tires? Do they believe it helps their fuel economy?

That's one thing I'll never compromise, good tires. I run XZA3's on the steer and XDN2's on the drives. Yet I still get very good mileage.

10-4!

Was going thru the some paperwork last night. We have a driver on a dedicated run and he takes the exact same 760 mile route 3 times per week or so. Same weight, same truck everything. Fuel bills are $25 more when he sleeps at the truck stop instead of coming home. And two nights ago, when he was dead tired and slept for 12 hours..... fuel was $50 more.

Coasting is key


..as well as ticket in socialist state of California, i should know as i recieved it !

We are running steer tires on the freightliner and yes you do get better fuel economy. I was reading an article about this last year and it said you have more of the tire in contact with the ground so you get better economy. Made sense to me. Anyway we will be putting steers on the KW when the time comes for tires.

tootie

Only turn the jake on when you really need it (like the mfg intended!). Every time you let off and it kicks in it eats up your momentum - and you have to burn fuel to get it back. Increase your following distance and look ahead distance so you don't have to be using the jake and/or brakes all the time. I think most of you guys think backwards as to what makes the truck eat fuel. The throttle converts fuel into momentum which isn't "wasting" it (unless you go too fast). The brakes and jake convert that momentum into heat, throwing that fuel you used away. Oh - and another advantage to going slower is that on a downhill you have that much more you can let the truck speed up coasting (in gear, clutch engaged, jake off!) before you have to brake to keep from becoming bear bait 8) . I usually set the cruise at 60 with the jake off and let it get up to 72 (in a 65 zone) on a downhill before I kick in the jake. I'd change the programming to do that automatically but then when I'm doing 60 in a 55 I'd be in trouble :shock: .

Another fleet owner. Scary thought, the boss knows exactly how much it's costing him when you idle. :D As an O/O, I've learned to almost never idle, that'd have been $50 out of my pocket, man, that's sprawling out in a decent motel room! Besides, the weather hasn't been that bad recently. I'm all the time walking by trucks wondering to myself, 'is he heating that truck or cooling it off!?' Hey, when it's below freezing, it's sweat pants, a sleeping bag and a heavy quilt over top. Idling is just pissing away money.

Thanks a lot, Tootie, that just seems to make so much sense. I spent $3,000+ last fall on a set of Bridgestone EL 726's or whatever they are called just because it was the first time I purchased drives and I was following what so many others are doing. That deep, widely spaced tread, rarely do I ever need that. I wouldn't put that kind of tread on a car, I hardly ever go off roading in construction sites with my truck, either. I think I'll do what you are doing next time.

i had bought a set of kelly kda. lug's they lasted 3 1/2 years & 305,000 miles. i bought because they were knee deep in rubber. but that was before the fuel spike. i changed to hwy tires for the drives now & keep cruise at 62 m.p.h. it kills me to drive this slow, but i do it. the difference $168.00 a week. based on 2000 mi a week

This is some good info that I will keep in mind. Thanks. Coasting is OUT, wouldnt want to get a bonehead ticket like someone else here. Glad he was honest with the forum.

Cam, yes trailer tires are usually cheaper. These guys like having a universal tire on every axle end. Simplifies purchasing, rotating, and spares. Also, trailer tires are generally pretty cheap construction. A steer tire will last much longer and you have the benefit of being able to use it elsewhere. They swear by the process of putting new tires on the trailer first to "true" them and then moving them to the steers.

I drive for an O/O leased onto a company that runs steers everywhere; even on the trailers.

Personally, I've never driven in bad weather on anything other than what I consider "real drive tires" so I have no idea how steers would do. It kind of makes my stomach crawl at little at the prospect, but maybe I'm just old fashioned.

As far as fuel saving, I remember reading some article about how companies could/were going to be able to vary engine HP from remote via Qualcomm, so they could turn up a company driver's truck when he was running out in big hill country or whatever.

I've had the thought in my head ever since that it ought to be possible to just turn a dial on your dash (or equivalent) to vary HP in real time. Why not vary HP according to load or conditions on the fly?

That isn't a real choice today, but I think it ought to be.

UGH! And all that rubber looks so purty. :cry: Looks like I may be pretending over the next couple of years not to notice- can't throw away a new set of tires!

I'm not too worried about the snow, I'd really just like to sit out the first three months of the year.

1) freight rates drop
2) it's more dangerous/hazardous
3) harder on the equipment
4) not nearly as comfortable as the trailer down in Florida

Don't they call them 'accelerators' or something like that :lol:

We also ran in some snow with them and didnt see a big difference.

tootie

Yes, i did that. And it is yields a better mileage, than the "regular" drives, let's say 726 Bridgestones.
But if you use 720(fuel efficient), you'll get the same economy+longer life.
So, i stick with "fuel efficient" for now! 8)

Hey solo, hows that big 15 litre doing on fuel lately?

Thats the DUMBEST thing I have ever read... Was the ticket for being stooopid ???

When I talk about coasting, it's always IN GEAR. Coasting out of gear is a big no no!

Well, my tried and true methods for saving fuel are:

1.) Not working

2.) Throwing it in neutral and killing the motor..conserves fuel, and the ride is alot more peaceful.

i was in grand rapids mi couple weeks ago in a snow storm & my hwy tires did just fine. one thing about those drive lugs..once they start dipping or wearing a pattern .. they'll bounce you until you change em..

Forgot to mention....We have bought a generator (gas) and are having an RV roof air installed next week I hope. This was the best we can do....we dont have 10k to spend on an APU.

tootie

I've heard and seen more people doing just that. What's the legality's with those?? Heard(mostly cb gossip) there allowed/not allowed.

Has anyone been able to harness the heat from these, assuming no, but I've seen even weirder things in/on a truck. Full size fridge in place of the passenger seat to start with, also a 27" tv in place of the passenger seat. :shock:

Whats the roof ac going to cost installed?

Ditto. I want to hear more about that one, too.

o.k. just yesterday wed the 25th getting 7.6 m.p.g. doing 57 m.p.h. mostley flat some hills. carrying 45-48 thou lbs. route- i-65 from montgomery al thru columbia tn. i-65 all the way. i dont expect to be able to keep this slow pace up. but it is nice to see the fuel mileage.. :lol:

There is an RV place in Tulsa (Rt 66 RV ) I think....I'll have to look anyway they have put LOTS of them on trucks lately and they quoted us a cost of about 800-900 installed. The AC is a 7,000 BTU and it is 550.00 then add install and tax to that. I dont mind walking around to the gas pumps to get fuel to fill up the generator. The generator will run about 8-10 hours pulling the AC. we can get 12-14 hrs from it but not at full load. The AC will not be full load but it is still more than we have used up till now.

IF we get it done this week I will take pics and all.

tootie

Don't some of those roof mount units have both heat and AC?