Fuel Mileage Bonus Round

[Camstyn]

I drive a 2020 389 specced out for hauling 140,000lbs in the mountains, big power, 260wb, winter tires all year round, and I pull very light van loads. My average is 6.3, I can do as well as 6.8 in the summer. Based on the performance of my past trucks which have included lighter spec, aero, etc I thought this was pretty good.

Last winter I had a DEF related derate and had to rent a truck for a trip, it was a IHL LT daycab with cab/roof fairings, exact same engine/running gear as my Pete. I drove it hard and went through some of the worst driving conditions that I’ve ever experienced in my 15 years of trucking that night. My Pete seriously would have been down around 5mpg, and I finished the trip at 6.5.

Now I don’t know if International and Peterbilt might different tuning for their engines or if it was all aerodynamics, but it really made a believer out of me that I was throwing a lot of money out the window every month by running my square truck.

When I bought my 389 the main reason for it was resale value, the used market has always been strong around here for them and lighter spec aero trucks just seem to be considered disposable after a few years, nobody wants them. I went in with the plan of keeping this truck no longer than 400,000 miles and then replacing it, and I’ve followed through with that plan. Now with the truck shortage that is not the case, Volvos and Cascadias are commanding a premium but normally it that has never been the case. That being said, over the 32 weeks I’ve owned my Pete I’ve made $2000/month equity in it as I have now sold it, and under normal market conditions a 680 or 579 type truck would probably be worth less than I owe on it at this point, so that would have normally offset the extra fuel.

The next chapter is starting with a low mile used aero LT625 with a more efficient spec. I want more profits and less elbow grease required to keep it looking clean and shiny. I may order a new 680/579, we’ll see how much I like this LT but this truck will at least tie me over until then, as new trucks take a long time to get right now and I’m not going to overpay out of desperation like many seem to be doing to get one immediately.