Truckers slowing down to save fuel
 

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080322/slower_truckers.html

People start to do the right thing when it hurts them in their pocket book.

" The company said the move also would eliminate 72 million pounds of carbon emissions annually, or the equivalent to removing nearly 7,300 automobiles from U.S. highways. "

Do you think anyone would have done this voluntarily ?

Nope !

Driving extensively on the Nation's highways every week, I have to announce a resounding NO! They're usually riding my arse and speeding like mad.

The theory: with Diesel as high as it is, the philosophy might be to cover as much ground as possible within their "legal" operations day -- and recover the cost by squeezing-in that extra load.

My observations are mostly in the Midwest: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. Other regions may show different behaviour patterns.

RH77

The only trucks I've seen going slower than traffic are those that can't, eg loaded dump trucks, or the grocery trucks that shuttle between the warehouses and stores, which go, believe it or not, 50-55mph IME. Everyone else is pedal to the metal.

New law would limit trucks to 105 km/h

(Electronically limit)

http://lfpress.ca/perl-bin/publish.c...28322&s=wheels

It has the support of the industry players as well.

I guess the bonus's that drivers would get for getting loads early to destinations has gone out the window. Although it was interesting to see that the larger companies were adjusting the governors to reduce the top end from 65 to 62.

All that is fine, but missing a dock time wipes out your fuel savings. High-rate freight is time-sensitive. JIT and all that.

Considering the trucking companies were fully behind the push for the proposed Ontario law, I'm sure they've crunched the numbers very closely.

As I was coming back from the sugar shack this afternoon, I was crusing along on the highway when I passed 3 trucks from the same company drafting each other at 65 mph, and all trailers had skirts! It's the first time I've seen that. Looks like the fuel bills are so high they're starting to care.

Not on I-75 for the most part
 

For the most part, I find that they are more agressive. Especially the independent varieties. You'd think they'd be slowing to save fuel, but I think they've just gotten pissed their profit per load is dwindling. I'd bet the bigger companies will soon limit their drivers, for economy reasons.

Should the prices keep rising, you'll see some vendors turning to good ole' rail systems again. Cost per ton/mile will offset JIT deliveries. The JIT will be moderated by delivery re-scheduling. Everyone will pay whether in time or money.

I think speed restriction is a great primer to saving fuel, keeping costs low, and increasing safety. No one can challenge that it takes a good deal more reaction time and braking energy to avoid collisions at 75mph as opposed to 60mph. I can't believ they haven't gone there already.

Maybe its time we revise our highway code to allow higher weight limits on the highway and multiple trailers like the Australian road trains.
http://thirdrail.smorgasblog.com/use...hway%20007.jpg