I don't need to save fuel "that bad". Asides from me being an unsafe driver because I pull the truck out of gear and coast before I downshift to another gear IS NOT THE ISSUE. The issue is I got 6 mpg in my truck and this driver is getting 4.45 mpg. So can we get back onto that issue?? Thanks.



I have followed this driver without him knowing, he has been running at 55mph. But the mileage is not there to support that. I am just trying to figure out what is going on here, not discuss my bad driving habit that 98% of truckers out there do anyway.

BTW I'm really sick of the super trucker mentality on here, I see it all the time, people ask one thing and don't get much help on that topic because everyone wants to point out something that was not the question at hand. Come on guys - not everyone can be perfect as most of you think you are. And you telling me how bad/wrong I am for doing what I do, well guess what it won't change how I drive my rig. I am not asking for "downshifting advice", I am trying to find out why I am being robbed of nearly 2mpg since the change over to a new driver. OK? Thanks.

 

No he won't coast. Likes to have the jake on all the time for when his foot is off the throttle, and he stomps on the brakes to downshift and has to hit every gear as he slows down because he refuses to come to a complete stop if he can avoid it at all. The driving habit annoys me greatly, but I let it go when we did training because I figured he was nervous and it get better over a few weeks.

No one else at my company drives like that. Many of the other drivers are on his ass about it. I don't know if driving that was can kill off nearly 2mpg off the truck though??

 

I can understand your wish to find out why the sudden loss in MPG and while that's YOUR post topic, it has uncovered something potentially much more dangerous and you're hearing about it. Coasting is simply downright unsafe. And the fact that several other drivers are pointing that out, should be grounds to change that unsafe behavior. It is enough of a safety issue that most major companies consider that a first offense termination of employment. So it's serious enough to warrant the attention it is getting and getting defensive about it isn't helping your position any. It does make me wonder what it will take to get you to change a dangerous habit. Will it take a few people pointing it out, which some people are doing? Or do you have to have a major accident with potential loss of life? Something to think about...

 

It wont be the downshifting. Actually, it sounds like that driving habit of his is helping his fuel mileage. Slowing down well before a red light and downshifting will help, because instead of racing to the red light, stopping, then getting going again burns a lot more fuel than the former. But I do know not coasting will absolutely kill your fuel mileage. Drivers that do not coast tend to tailgate as well, I find.

There's not really too much wrong with not downshifting, I guess it depends on the situation. The truck needs to be left in gear though, then the clutch pedal depressed a bit before you hit idle. That's what I do when I get "surprised" by a red light, and that's how I was trained by a guy with over a million miles and also my old man. But if the light turns red way up, I'll be downshifting so as soon as it turns green, I'm in the correct gear. I was told you must do this or you can fail your driver test.

I'm not telling you what to do floored, you must understand that. I'm not a supertrucker, just a regular guy. I do what works for me, it may or may not work for you. If I sound preachy, which I don't try to do, just ignore me!

 

Just out of curiousity, how much experience does he have? If he is inexperienced, his driving will improve. I found when I was a rookie I was doing what you're talking about because sometimes it took a while to hit that downshift, I wanted to buy as much time as possible so I "stabbed" the brakes a little more then an experienced driver would.

 

While I know I may not practice the best driving out there, I leave my jakes on pretty much all the time, unless coming through a town or something, then I shut them off. Pretty much, I use the engine to slow me down the majority of the time....let the jake drag the speed down, split down a gear and continue..don't use the brakes unless needed. I'll even use the jakes rolling to a stop in 3rd or 4th gear and let the auto shut-off kill them for me..when acclerating, a light pressure on the clutch pedal can keep them off, or steady pressure on the gas..and, I average about 5.5mpg. I do no better with or without using them, honestly. This was not meant to harp on Alice, or anybody else, just stating an observation I have noticed.

Alice, something I was thinking about earlier, and I don't know how feasible it would be for you...but I was thinking like a fuel bonus....you said you averaged $300.00 a week in fuel...WELL...you could start out with a $500.00 a week fuel bonus for him, and the deduct the amount of gallons used from there. If he uses 150 gallons in a week, then he gets $350.00 extra week, or if he uses 250 gallons a week, then an extra $250.00 in his pocket. That's a decent chunk of change, and that might be enough to get him to watch his fuel use a little more. Just something to think about!

Good luck with the driver situation, and your new baby!!

-Jason

 

+1

 

Floored, some of the O/O's around these parts pay 50/50 after fuel to the driver. Gives the driver incentive to get good fuel mileage. Might be worth running the numbers to see if it is a good match for your situation.

When I had drivers I always had problems with their fuel consumption. Kinda comes with the territory.

 

The mileage might be a result of the driver squeezing the throttle down harder than you and shifting at a higher RPM. Especially at the bottom gears that can mean a big difference in terms of fuel economy. My truck had a digital readout that showed the average fuel economy and the fuel consumption right there and then. If I shifted at a lower RPM and didn't slam down the throttle, the economy was better. Otherwise, I would have no idea why he gets 4.5 and you get 6.

You might be saving fuel by coasting, but to my knowledge, coasting out of gear for longer than a trucklength is illegal, AND you'll be putting all that money you supposedly saved into new brake pads. I'm sure if you communicated with your driver about the fuel mileage rather than sneak around behind him and watch his every move, you might get a better responce from him and he might work harder at bringing down the fuel expenses.

 

I've made a few adjustments to my driving. In the past month I've gone from 5.4 mpg to 7+!!

And no.. I have nothing to sell :roll:

I've been spoiled in my past jobs as far as motors, trans go. Big power, pulling full loads up moderate hills at 65 with room to go. Move into this Columbia with DET 60 low horsepower, trying to drive it like it had 550 horsepower, mileage suffered. I've backed off, grabbed gears as low as I could, easy on the peddle during take off. Kept the turbo down to min. Wa laa.

Instant improvement. This has been done while regularly hauling loads 45k+.

Maybe he's constantly accelerating when He doesn't need to be. Spinning that turbo like there is no tomorrow.