Controlling the Factors that Affect Fuel Economy

As long as the Carrier pays more for the Fuel than the Driver per mile, there will be hardware improvements in Company Owned Vehicles!
When Driver behavior is financially rewarded to maximize fuel efficiencies, there will have to be an increase in the Company's Pennies per Mile pay rate to compensate for the less Miles per Hour Driven by those Fuel Efficient Drivers!

Eventually, a maximally efficient 80,000# Vehicle driven by a maximally efficient Driver will have to be compensated at a Base Pay Rate of at least $25.00 per Hour. A 40 Hour week = $1,000 with a 70 Hour Maximum of $1,750 per Driver. That would equal .50 per mile for 50 miles at an average 50 miles per hour Driven.

Fuel at $4.00 per Gallon has to be run at least at 8 miles per Gallon to cost just .50 per mile. Currently a 2015 Cascadia is supposed to be at 7 miles per gallon.\

2500 Miles per Week at the Average Brokered Rate of $1.75 per mile (.50 for the Fuel, .50 for the Driver, .50 to buy the Truck) only gives the Trucking Company .25 per mile for Overhead including Salaries, Facilities, etc.

The Obama Administration has lowered the 2015 Section 179 Tax Deduction for the purchase of Business Equipment (like Trucks) from $500,000 to $25,000!!!!
Unless raised to at least $150,000, this will kill Owner-Operators!!!

Obama also wants to raise the cost of Diesel to $7.00 per gallon to equal European costs.

He also wants to make Trucks PAY for ALL Roadway Improvements even though he already 'SPENT' $1,000 BILLION on the 'shovel ready road projects' back in 2009....oops, the money went to his voters and not the roads...oh well.....let him take another $1,000 BILLION over the next ten years from the Trucking Inductry, I AM SURE THE MONEY WILL BE SPENT DIRECTLY IN THE ROADS THIS TIME!!
If you believe that, you probably believed you could keep your Doctor and your Insurance under ObamaNoCare!

I want to be an Owner-Operator BUT I DON'T TRUST THE POLITICIANS!!!!

June 27, 2015 23:22:10 PM

As long as the Carrier pays more for the Fuel than the Driver per mile, there will be hardware improvements in Company Owned Vehicles!
When Driver behavior is financially rewarded to maximize fuel efficiencies, there will have to be an increase in the Company's Pennies per Mile pay rate to compensate for the less Miles per Hour Driven by those Fuel Efficient Drivers!

Eventually, a maximally efficient 80,000# Vehicle driven by a maximally efficient Driver will have to be compensated at a Base Pay Rate of at least $25.00 per Hour. A 40 Hour week = $1,000 with a 70 Hour Maximum of $1,750 per Driver. That would equal .50 per mile for 50 miles at an average 50 miles per hour Driven.

Fuel at $4.00 per Gallon has to be run at least at 8 miles per Gallon to cost just .50 per mile. Currently a 2015 Cascadia is supposed to be at 7 miles per gallon.\

2500 Miles per Week at the Average Brokered Rate of $1.75 per mile (.50 for the Fuel, .50 for the Driver, .50 to buy the Truck) only gives the Trucking Company .25 per mile for Overhead including Salaries, Facilities, etc.

The Obama Administration has lowered the 2015 Section 179 Tax Deduction for the purchase of Business Equipment (like Trucks) from $500,000 to $25,000!!!!
Unless raised to at least $150,000, this will kill Owner-Operators!!!

Obama also wants to raise the cost of Diesel to $7.00 per gallon to equal European costs.

He also wants to make Trucks PAY for ALL Roadway Improvements even though he already 'SPENT' $1,000 BILLION on the 'shovel ready road projects' back in 2009....oops, the money went to his voters and not the roads...oh well.....let him take another $1,000 BILLION over the next ten years from the Trucking Inductry, I AM SURE THE MONEY WILL BE SPENT DIRECTLY IN THE ROADS THIS TIME!!
If you believe that, you probably believed you could keep your Doctor and your Insurance under ObamaNoCare!

I want to be an Owner-Operator BUT I DON'T TRUST THE POLITICIANS!!!!

June 27, 2015 23:21:59 PM

As long as the Carrier pays more for the Fuel than the Driver per mile, there will be hardware improvements in Company Owned Vehicles!
When Driver behavior is financially rewarded to maximize fuel efficiencies, there will have to be an increase in the Company's Pennies per Mile pay rate to compensate for the less Miles per Hour Driven by those Fuel Efficient Drivers!

Eventually, a maximally efficient 80,000# Vehicle driven by a maximally efficient Driver will have to be compensated at a Base Pay Rate of at least $25.00 per Hour. A 40 Hour week = $1,000 with a 70 Hour Maximum of $1,750 per Driver. That would equal .50 per mile for 50 miles at an average 50 miles per hour Driven.

Fuel at $4.00 per Gallon has to be run at least at 8 miles per Gallon to cost just .50 per mile. Currently a 2015 Cascadia is supposed to be at 7 miles per gallon.\

2500 Miles per Week at the Average Brokered Rate of $1.75 per mile (.50 for the Fuel, .50 for the Driver, .50 to buy the Truck) only gives the Trucking Company .25 per mile for Overhead including Salaries, Facilities, etc.

The Obama Administration has lowered the 2015 Section 179 Tax Deduction for the purchase of Business Equipment (like Trucks) from $500,000 to $25,000!!!!
Unless raised to at least $150,000, this will kill Owner-Operators!!!

Obama also wants to raise the cost of Diesel to $7.00 per gallon to equal European costs.

He also wants to make Trucks PAY for ALL Roadway Improvements even though he already 'SPENT' $1,000 BILLION on the 'shovel ready road projects' back in 2009....oops, the money went to his voters and not the roads...oh well.....let him take another $1,000 BILLION over the next ten years from the Trucking Inductry, I AM SURE THE MONEY WILL BE SPENT DIRECTLY IN THE ROADS THIS TIME!!
If you believe that, you probably believed you could keep your Doctor and your Insurance under ObamaNoCare!

I want to be an Owner-Operator BUT I DON'T TRUST THE POLITICIANS!!!!

June 27, 2015 23:21:39 PM

Thomas, what is the last six digits of your VIN? I'll take a look at your spec and make a recommendation on the sweet spot for your engine. Thanks!

July 14, 2014 8:54:18 AM

Heather I am new to the game but am looking to better my fuel mileage. I know I need two front tires
But 5.8 I feel is not bad but could be better. I lease 2010 Cascadia gov at 68 could you help with some pointers. Thanks Thomas

June 20, 2014 21:11:36 PM

I clicked on the video and it said the video is private and was all snowy.

April 29, 2014 7:14:37 AM

This winter was very severe I heard that The DEF heater failed in some of the 2014 storms

March 20, 2014 15:59:38 PM

I love my dd15 thanks for the tips

January 04, 2014 21:44:09 PM

Thanks Heather.I just got my 2013 Cascadia a few months ago.This is my 4th truck and my 1st Detroit but I love it so far.I'm averaging 7.5 mpg so far and I can't wait till it is broke in and I get through the winter to see what I can get when the weather gets warmer.

December 31, 2013 18:14:40 PM

Thanks Heather! A year ago we were struggling to try to get a 6 mpg average.
We are impressed with our 2012 Cascadia DD15, we easily attain a 7.5 mpg average now. The difference actually makes the truck payment!

November 14, 2013 12:25:54 PM

I agree completely Heather. 10 MPG is amazing. Back in the mid to late 80's when I was driving a 1972 GMC cabover with a Detroit 318, 4 MPG was a good day! You had to keep those engines wound up tight to get anywhere. The "old timers" back then called those trucks and engines "screaming jimmys". I wore ear plugs to cut the noise and re-fueled daily.

November 13, 2013 8:43:57 AM

Thanks Craig, yes the improvements in technology have been amazing the past few years. To think it was impressive to get 5-6 MPG a few years ago, when Henry is getting over 10 MPG now!

November 12, 2013 8:41:43 AM

Very nice video Heather, it is very well done. I caught the quick part about the DEF tank being heated since the comment was made on the Facebook page. There certainly are a lot more technology improvements than when I last drove a Freightliner with a Detroit engine.

November 11, 2013 14:00:13 PM