This year, at the Walcott Truckers Jamboree, Clark Reed and I met many drivers. However, one stood out with his show truck named: “Roll of the Dice”. It was great getting to know this particular driver, Dawson Taylor. Of course, the conversation led to how to get the maximum efficiency from his truck. We spent many hours together, and Dawson even began to ask questions that would be helpful for his friends with different Detroit-powered Cascadias. He was thrilled to find out there is such a thing as the Freightliner Smart Source app. Once on the app, he entered his VIN, and found out that there is a treasure trove of information regarding the operation of his particular Cascadia. From here, I would like to welcome Dawson Taylor, in his own words, about our chance meeting at Walcott:
My name is Dawson Taylor,
I have been driving for 34 years in December, for a total of 37 years in a truck. I rode along for the first three years, with my brother, learning the trade and helping him.
I have been married for 25 years. I have one daughter and 3 beautiful grandkids.
I picked up my new 2020 Cascadia in July 2019, at Pro Transport in Grand Forks N.D.
I wanted the truck to look more like a unit, with the interior colors matching the exterior. I first tried painting the dash panel, but I realized the small panels were difficult to match, so I checked into hydro dipping and fell in love with the pattern “Roll Of The Dice”. So, the truck named itself. Then, I decided to have the seats upholstered, and the project just kept growing. Next, was to add shine to the refrigerator, sleeper panels, and my closet doors. We measured, and had stainless steel added to improve the looks, and also had some pieces powder coated. I decided to enter a truck show in Kenly, N.C., and did very well. So, I chose to enter the show in Walcott, IA. That’s where I met Henry Albert. We talked for a while and started discussing fuel mileages on my truck and a buddy's truck. I have a ten-speed, and my buddy, Jeff, has an AMT transmission. Henry said the party is in the basement, in regards to pulling power and fuel efficiency. I kept my Detroit DD15 engine under 1400 RPM, and my mileage went up 1.3 MPG. Jeff’s mileage went up to 2 MPG, and he learned about his transmission after watching the videos. The app has been extremely helpful.
Thank you,
Dawson Taylor
Dawson is still undergoing improvements on the interior of his truck. He keeps up with the app to learn more about his truck and get the best out of it. Best of all, he is spreading the word about how this app has helped him, and his buddy, get better fuel mileage in their trucks. It was great meeting Dawson at Walcott, and sharing techniques to maximize the investment he has made in his equipment, along with spreading the word of the helpful, and useful app named Freightliner Smart Source App.
