"Southern Dedicated Drivers!

Drivers must live between:
Houston, TX and Hammond,
LA along I-10 or between Shreveport,
LA and Lafayette,
LA along I-49
Now Hiring in Your Area"

So what's the story on this one?

-p

i believe that southern dedicated deal is for hauling oil field pipe to the coast of LA. i have been seeing some TMC trucks down this way. Westar had the gig but it seems like TMC is running it now.

Well they can keep that one. :)

I'm tempted to make the change over to TMC and do the Texas Dedicated. My current job is just "OK". And I'm kinda itching for a change.

-j

yea, it wouldnt be a bad deal if they could ease in on the of the outgoing freight headed to houston. there is a lot of it down here but Ace and Acme pretty much have that wrapped up. and they get pretty good rates for going to the ship channel or to galveston from southern LA. I am seeing some TMC trucks here lately but all delivering and headed to the lumber yard :twisted:

My fuel mileage is between 6.50 mpg and 6.75 mpg.

Running at 62 is not the only thing I do. There is nothing magical about 62. You need to find how your truck is spec'd and find and your own sweet spot. You need to keep it your sweet spot the majority of the time. You do this by running at a certain speed and keeping in the proper gear for the speed you are running. Progressive shifting.

Use the fuel pedal gently, excelerate slowly, when you stop ease off the pedal and not run up to where you are stopping and get hard on the brakes.

Maintain your truck and trailer. Check the oil, fuel filter, air pressure at every fuel stop. Get your PM done regularlly, have oil, all filters changed. Keep it aligned. Use your cruise control, pay attention so that smart cruise doesn't kick in. Use fuel addative. Try to drive straight down the road, not swerving side to side.

These are a few of the things I do. There are others.

There are other things you cannot control, such as terrain, wind, weather and you load.

Terry you know that is true... Guys and I am speaking to the new guys, if you pay attention to all the little things and work on your fuel mileage from PM to PM plus work on your OOR from month to month you're a more proactive driver.

I drive a 387 '05 model with the huge tanks so I am automatically heavy. I can still maintain between 6.1 and 6.4 mpg

Thanks for the info terrylamar.

I was surprised as I have only heard how bad the fuel mileage is from the 379 with a C-15. Drivers I have spoken to claim the 379 is terrible for fuel mileage. Most of them probably don't know how to drive properly.

I know drivers with more aerodynamic Columbias which are only getting 5 to 5.75 MPG. I agree in the fact that a lot has to do with the driver itself.

I heard the President of Maverick Trucking on OOIDA's Land Lane Now yesterday afternoon claiming 2007 was the first year they lost money. They claim fuel prices as the culprit for falling profits.

I hope TMC will stay on top, as I know it is very difficult right now. Their reputation has a lot to do with it, I would think. I would hate to see TMC starting to lower equipment standards, etc.

If we all pull together, this fuel crisis will be over soon. ( I hope).

Thanks as always for the info.

I might add, I try not to idle too much. My percentage from my last PM is less than 5% and I live in Texas. That is an advantage during the Winter but a major disadvantage during th Summer. I have a very high tolerance for temprature. I tolerate the extremes very well. As long as it is 85 degrees and below to 30 degrees I don't idle. During the Winter I idle at 15 degrees and below per company policy.

So far this Spring/Summer I have been in temp well over 100 in AZ and Texas. I have been uncomfortable only two times so far. As it cooled off durring the night I became more comfortable.

Not everyone has the tolerance I seem to have and will have to make their own decissions about idling.

TMC does not pay a bonus for low idle time. It does affect your fuel mileage which does affect your pay.

I would anticipate this changing in the future if fuel prices remain high.

Forgive my localness. (sic) 8) Smart cruise?

You set it when you need to leave your seat and get into the sleeper berth! :shock:

Smart cruise is tied in with the VORAD system. VORAD warns you with lights and beeps of something in your path to your front and drivers side blide spot. Smart cruise activates when your cruise control is set, when you come up to a vehicle moving slower than your set speed. It will slow you down to match the vehicles speed in front of you. If your speeds are not too much different it will slow you down and you might not notice it. For example if your cruise control is set at 62 and you come up to a vehicle going 55 you are gradually slowed to 55 you will continue that speed as long as the vehicle in front maintains that speed, if they slow down you slow down, if they speed up, you speed up only to your cruise control setting.

In extreme differences in speed between the two vehicles, the engine brake will kick in. It will not stop you, but the engine brake comming on is a wake up call.

The system is good and bad at the same time. While preventing you from running up onto the vehicle in front it can slow you down so subtly that you don't realize you have slowed and it may take a while for you to realize that you are traveling slower than you want. It is also irritating when those drivers passing you cut back in front of you at an unsafe distance as your engine brake comes on until there is a safe distance between the two vehicles.