Beauty vs. Efficiency
“Cool looking… However, a 379 Pete, if driven 120,000 miles per year at legal interstate speeds, will consume over an additional $25,000 to $28,000 in fuel compared to an aero dyne style cab and chassis. And there is no way, so far, to get the fuel consumption down to profitable levels. If fuel continues to climb in price, these numbers increase dramatically.”
— Mike Dyster, of Chandler, Ariz., commenting on Bill Hall Jr. Trucking’s renovated 2011 Peterbilt on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyYwvBeCcUg.
Fatigued? Send a text, for the record
By following a few guidelines, drivers who are harassed by zealous dispatchers in the era of electronic onboard recorders can still get a good night’s sleep. I’ve spoken to truckers who were fatigued because of dispatchers’ calls requesting that the trucker drive another 50 miles. Others have told me that Qualcomm drives them crazy with messages requesting their whereabouts.
