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I knew the dollar trucks will get into the picture sooner or later. <br /> <br />I know very few people and trucks who can run faster than I did. All I will say is the time period of the early 90's prior to widespread qualcomm monitoring and goveners imposed on trucks is what I call the "Happy Time" <br /> <br />Before I get into the rest of the story, I state that excessive speed in a full loaded 18 wheeler is probably the worst thing you can ever do from a safety point of view because there are just no recovery from any of many points of failure. <br /> <br />Example if I am at 110 mph at 40 ton on a 5 percent downgrade and something gets into my travel lane, it's just it's day to die. And the question remains how much damage would the rig sustain before it threatens to kill or main me for life. There is always a point where excessive speed strips any human reaction to failures. <br /> <br />Now for the fun part. <br /> <br />I was given a Detriot 460 on a Rockwell 9 with rears geared for 70 mph travel at just over torque on the Tach curve. The rig was capable of about 118 on the flat at max rpm and I have broken 132 counting milemarkers against stopwatch on downgrades. <br /> <br />Travel time from Ohio/PA line to NYC on I-80 was about 3 hours and some change at night when proper communications over CB is maintained slowing only at known State police speed traps. Major barriers was State College and Columbia New Jersey as the hills and curves are just too tight for high speed. Milesburg eastbound leaves me with a sense of dread because of the broken concrete and the curve at the bottom. <br /> <br />Milesburg west was 80 MPH loaded up hill at times in the left lane. It is a 10 mile pull and the last 6 miles are so are still over 45 mph. When you run this empty let;s say two things, westbound left lane open? and how much cross wind? What a ride. Think of the fastest elevator you ever rode and add about half again to that feeling. <br /> <br />Speed in those days made the shippers and recievers very happy. It did not matter how long it took or what kind of delays you had as long as you can break 100 and average at least 60 mph at the mileposts. <br /> <br />Way way faster than the standard 35 mph average speed I plan my trips in the later years. <br /> <br />Out west I have seen flame from some incrediably fast trucks and as fast I was, felt like I was chained to the fence post. <br /> <br />Those days are long over. And I am not sorry to see it go. I have seen wrapped and organized pallets of cargo get totally shaken through out the trailer with some damage. <br /> <br />People who bought things at the store have NO idea of the loss, waste and other issues at the warehouse. That was then. It is much better today. But some waste still remains. <br /> <br />I think I wrote enough about high speed. I advocate safe fast travel today. But not at manifold melting, tireshredding and law breaking speeds. <br /> <br />Many times I have read where steam locomotives were pushed to thier limits and railroads were able to "fly" and some are legends and other stories relate real life travel at very high speeds over long distance. <br /> <br />But I have gotten a little older and slower. Speed is good. to a point. <br /> <br />1- Team drivers 24/7 with onboard coffee making and cooking as well as toilet facilities so that you are free from the truckstop except for fuel and oil changes <br /> <br />2- Dispatch that can run with you in terms of scheduling. They need to be giving you the next load before you are finsihed actually unloading the truck. And allow time for you to get ready for the next run. <br /> <br />3- Minimize problems from shippers and recievers. There are many issues that pop up and the #1 question from these people is: <br /> <br />"Can you get it there faster?" <br /> <br />Imagine. They are getting top notch service from quality equiptment, fully experienced team and a company that knows what needs to be done and gets it done ahead of time... and they still ask for more speed.
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