As someone that spent the last winter in the North Dakota oil fields helping to fix semi trucks OUTSIDE, aero considerations was pretty low in the priority list. I got to work on Freightliners, Kenworths, Western Stars and a Peterbilt. Note: I am not a mechanic by trade, I studied Landscape Architecture. Here the priorities of me helping to fix the trucks and the drivers and the owner:
1. Reliability
2. Accessibility of components when they do break or need maintenance
3. Power (because power = less time spent climbing hills with 100 barrels of dirty fracking water)
The faster and longer a truck can go without stopping for maintenance, the more money it can make for the driver and owner. And when incomes are in the 4 maybe 5 digits
a week, fuel is just a necessary means to an end. And when it comes to replacing an air dryer (not cleaner) that is located on the inside of the truck frame in -30 degrees you really could care less about 1 or 2 mpg that could be gained from better aero.
That being said, when I was sitting inside drinking hot coffee the mind di cross my mind how to get the best of both worlds.
