Speed restrictors

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
41

That’s another good point there…

How many of these firms who run thier lorries at a low speed to save fuel actually look at other areas where effeciency can be maximised.

Do they check tyre pressures regulary and monitor tyre wear?

Adjust wind kits to suit trailers?

If the lorry is on set daily run is it necessary for it to be carrying 900 litres of fuel all the time? Remember that 1 litre equates to 1kg. So is that unit running about with half a ton that it does not need?

Is the lorry actually running to its full power and efficiency?
Believe me, not many are. Those that are could pull your house down and are very easy on the juice. I had a 124 470 that had been set up properly. Was putting out full power and getting 14mpg on a long run.

42

Have found out today that our illustrious Fleet Engineer has decreed that all our motors will be restricted to 85kph from the current 87kph as soon as possible. We had already tried that and several motors would not stay in top gear on the flat so we went to 87kph and all seems fine. However, fuel economy is not really improved and journey times are affected. For example at 90kph you can go from our yard at Tilbury to Swansea depot in about 4hrs 20min on a good run. At 87kph with the same traffic conditions you would overrun the 4hr 30min mark by about 3 or 4 mins. So you wind up having to stop and take a 45 min break at Sarn Park. I wouldn’t mind if it saved large amounts of fuel, made economical or productivity gains, but I can’t see where it does.

I have suggested to my boss that we change the name from Down Hill Logistics to Don’t Hurry Lads and he didn’t think it was funny for some reason :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

43

These bloody limiters are everywhere now, I have just had my truck limited too, it used to be wide open but now I’m resticted to 72mph, this hasn’t been done with fuel economy in mind, but to stop drivers getting nicked for speeding :exclamation: Even though I have the ability to run at up to 75mph legally in some states I normally sit at 62-65mph, much the same as I & most others used to when I was in England/Europe in the days before limiters, most of the other drivers over here seem to cruise at similar speeds too so it seems that 62-65mph is the speed most drivers run at the world over, so once again the question is WTF is the point of limiters anyway? Apart from another method of control by meglomaniac politicians. Have the roads become safer as a result? Not in my experience, you see a lot more accidents where a truck has hit another up the arse than you used to when they weren’t all going up the road at the same speed, traffic volumes may have increased but I’m sure that truck numbers have actually fallen, so again, what exactly is the point?