Wisconsin trucking firm lowers thier trucks' top speed to 60 mph.

http://greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080508/GPG03/80508107/1978

Schneider National will voluntarily lower the governed cruise speed of its fleet to 60 mph as part of an industry-wide effort to minimize the carbon footprint of trucking.
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The Ashwaubenon-based firm laid out its plan today during a Washington press conference at which the American Trucking Associations unveiled industry initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions.

(snip)

Schneider’s fleet cruise speed had been regulated at 63 mph, and the 3-mph reduction is expected to trim diesel fuel consumption by 3.75 million gallons a year while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 32.25 million pounds a year, according to the company.

Under the new program, which was implemented today, pedal speeds will allow drivers to achieve 63 mph when needed.

Thanks for the thread, JohnathanChance.

:kick:

I can't argue against the intent of the measure, but truckers are facing not only ruinous fuel costs but longer times on the road. Has anyone learned what the average long-haul driver thinks?

It is about a company that owns sixty trucks and hires it's drivers. They don't pay for any fuel the comapny does. They get paid by the load or by the hour. If it is by the hour they have to like the new regulations.

Schneider National is the largest Truckload Carrier in the country. They operate 14,000 tractors and 40,000 trailers.

The overwhelming majority of their drivers are "company" drivers, paid by the mile, NOT by the load or by the hour. Being forced to slow down means a cut in pay. If a driver makes $.40/mile, that's $1.20 less an hour.

Of course, not every hour behind the wheel is done at 60 or 63 MPH. But those 3 MPH will add up for their drivers. Saves the company fuel, but I wonder if they will give it back to the drivers.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schneider_National

http://www.schneider.com/

all the time here in LA, and they make a mess out of the freeway traffic.

Slower trucks means they can avoid hitting the stupid car drivers who dart in and out........

I've seen car drivers get blamed for the resulting tangle with the semi but I also saw the desperation of that same driver trying get around that idiotic trucker maxing out at 45 mph who just HAD to pass an even slower truck on a hill on a 70mph stretch of highway. I feel for a slower trucker caught behind an even slower truck, but don't blame the car driver when after 8 miles of being stuck behind the trucker's backup they start to dart around trying to get in front of him before he clogs up the next hill.


I've also see idiot car drivers every day who are simply oblivious to what it takes for even a skilled and cautious trucker to manuvuer a truck in city traffic, or changing lanes on the freeway.

In the US on the whole, there were 58,512 fatal auto crashes in 2003, of which 4669 were that of fatal big truck accidents.

http://www.lawcore.com/truck-accident/statistics.html

Most idiots in cars think truckers can stop a semi on a dime. They wind up causing majority of the accidents truckers are in.

We've been in the trucking industry a long time now.

Today, I had to take a 60 mile round trip on an Interstate famous for speeding trucks. Today there were NO trucks speeding and many going at five under the speed limit. Weather was clear and dry, and I did not see one state cop.

I live in Michigan and drive on I-94 a lot, usually a speedster zone with cars routinely going 80 and much faster, even. Lately, I've been passing cars while going 70 (the speed limit). More and more people are going slower, as are the truckers. I think it's time to lower the speed limit again.

If it takes longer for the delivery to be made, there is no real net savings.

You will end up burning just as much diesel over a four day trip, instead of a three-and-a-half day trip.

In reality it means that Schneider just cut their drivers pay, which is based on mileage. Less miles run in a week, less pay.

Schneider failed to mention that they are in financial straits, as they were always at the bottom rung of the cheap freight haulers.

When every other large trucking fleet has to cut rates for their customers, they have a little leeway; when you are already at the bottom in rates and service there is nowhere to go.

Oh yeah, and fuck the ATA.

the greater fuel used to get up hills.

i'd be fine if the company asked their drivers to slow it down, but governing the trucks to a max speed of 60 is a bad idea. being able to crank it up to 70 or 75 on a downgrade helps greatly to get up the next hill without downshifting.

This Luigi Colani aero-dynamic design can apparently lower fuel consumption by 50%.

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But carries a price tag of $1 Million from what I last heard. It uses the same engines that any other truck would use. It just has an aero-dynamic shell.

It is a simple relocation of the engine and an aero-dynamic shell?

I thought we were the most inovative society on the planet.

long before now.

It seems so logical to do such a thing.

If they have their trucks governers set to 63 then most of their drivers are removing them, have followed and been passed by many many schnieder trucks going a lot faster than that like 70 in 55 zones here in Oregon...

more time?