In The News

Trucks slow down to save money

RAPID CITY, S.D. — Commercial truckers are slowing down to get the most miles out of every gallon of diesel fuel in their tanks, according to a South Dakota trucking industry official.

Higher fuel costs — around $4.60 a gallon for diesel — have a deep and direct financial impact on truckers, said Myron Rau, president of the South Dakota Trucking Association.

"Slowing down gives them optimum efficiency. What it comes down to is that's about the only option they've got," Rau said.

John Daringer, a truck driver from Chadron, Neb., said he's learned to be less aggressive and more patient on the road.

"I think it saves me three-quarters of a mile to a mile per gallon," he said at a refueling stop at Rapid City.

With semitrucks making 5-8 miles per gallon, even a small savings adds up.

Saving 5 percent or 10 percent on each refueling stop is significant, even essential, said Rapid City trucking-company owner Alton Palmer.

"We're trying to hold it (speed) down and make some fuel mileage," he said.

Stan Anders, who owns a trucking business in Union Center, said his trucks typically run with full loads and generally average about 5 mpg. So the half-mile or so he saves on each gallon of fuel by slowing down is important.

Anders has had his trucks programmed for a 70 mph limit for about a year. Now, he's moving down closer to 65 mph. But he also has a lighter foot in other vehicles as well.

"I've noticed it in my personal driving, too," he said. "You just try to save a little."

Efforts by commercial truckers to save fuel by slowing down can run head-on into the deadline realities truckers also face, Rau said. And with individual drivers limited to 11 road hours a day, slower speeds can further complicate delivery schedules, he said.

"Yeah, a lot of that stuff is timed delivery," Rau said. "That's an issue that has to be resolved with the receiver, or with the carrier they're hauling for."

The direct impact of the fuel cost hits hardest among those who buy the fuel. But it spreads quickly through society, because the trucking industry is the dominant carrier nationally, Rau said.