interstate crusin speed?

[robertglines1]

After reading over years and hearing people with all kinds of buses with all kinds of tires /engines/trans/equipment/ages and everything. I have felt bad about my opinion but here it goes : I.m going to start something: I feel everyone has a comfortable speed and all equipment has a sweet spot.   A comfortable speed is which you can preform safe within your abilities.  The equipment has a safe operating limit and also a sweet spot which it preforms best.     For example:: On my 89Prevost Equipment performance sweet spot was around 68-72 mph on interstate  fuel etc and I felt my driving experience over many years in good traffic conditions that was a reasonable speed.   When things changed I slowed down.   I did drive/operate heavy cranes and equipment for 40yrs including 100ton plus loads.  You don't stop like a bus. I guess when I see people with state of the art bus telling everyone to not keep up with traffic I question my mind set?     Do Note:: My brakes are 1st class or it don't move!     I have had more close calls 60mph on interstate.   Just wonder if I am the only one with this mind set?

[lostagain]

65-70. Depends on conditions. Cool weather, no or tail wind: 70. Hot and/or head wind: 60-65. My bus is really smooth at any speed so that is not a concern. It will go 85 if I ask.

JC

[luvrbus]

On the interstates Bob I did my best to drive the posted speed limit I could always picture a trucker coming at full bore and smacking the hell out of me

Here in AZ with the speed limit 65 mph in downtown Phoenix you will get run over if not driving the speed limit or over in most cases

[robertglines1]

I hate that right lane in cities or around merging traffic---always a speed demons merging or someone cutting you off then hitting brakes.    I hear you about the charging semi in the rear!!!   

[Dave5Cs]

We drive the speed limit which in most cases is 65 MPH on freeways. Around town I have to slow down at times because it wants to go faster and don't realize it is sometimes!...

Dave5Cs

[bobofthenorth]

I generally try to fit in with the traffic flow.  Note that does NOT always match the speed limit.  On some highways traffic routinely moves 10 MPH above or below the posted limit.  I've had periods where I tried to drive for economy - ie. self-imposed 55 limit - fortunately I have grown out of that nonsense.  I agree with what Bob said - there's plenty of danger from slow moving vehicles - I'm not sure they are more dangerous than fast moving vehicles but they're dangerous nonetheless.

I try not to be stuck in the curb lane because in too many locations that will quickly get you sucked off into an exit but I balance that concern against always knowing where my escape route is.  Sometimes the escape is the ditch and sometimes it is an adjoining lane.  Nothing bothers me more than heavy traffic moving at high speed where you are trapped in an inner lane with no escape to either side.  I try to leave a large buffer in front of me but of course that leaves space for idiots to cut into.  I just tell myself that they are my crumple zone and that makes it much easier to let them cut me off.

[luvrbus]

DPS will pull you over here and tell you to pick it up or turn on the 4 ways I am all ways in the middle lane driving in town our freeways are marked good so you have plenty of time to move over before your exit is needed Houston and Dallas it's bitch there not much marking in advance I 35 moving on to US 75 in Dallas is a nightmare to me

[Ed Hackenbruch]

 I seem to get my best mpg at 70-72.  I try to stay out of the right lane going thru cities if possible.  55 is a bad speed for me as 57 is where the tranny wants to shift, so i am either high rpms in 3rd or lugging it in 4th.

[John316]

We hammer down and roll when we can, depending on the speedlimit. In city's we run with the traffic. The only time that I can remember running slower than the speedlimit was in Texas the speedlimit was 80. We have no problem at all running at least 80. Problem that day was the wind. It was crazy windy, and I just didn't feel it was safe to run over 80. That day was 70.....

[lostagain]

A good friend of mine (ex Brewster driver) drive the Red Arrow from Edmonton to Calgary every day. It is a luxury regular schedule service that runs several times a day, catering to business people in suits with lap tops and brief cases. Late model Prevost H3-45 with wide seats, wifi, snacks, drinks, the whole bit. 3 hour drive, competes with the air lines. The speed limit on the freeway is 110 km/h (70 mph). The traffic is usually heavy, bumper to bumper and runs 120 to 130. He sets his cruise control at 113 km/h. He feels good at that. Traffic gets by him nicely, and he rarely has anybody in front of him bothering him. He is tracked by dispatch every second of the way by GPS. He is allowed I think he said 125 three times per trip for passing. Cushy job, no luggage or freight, would be boring for me, but he likes it. Well paid.

JC

[belfert]

I always run at 65 to 67 MPH for fuel economy.  The bus can easily run 70 to 75 MPH, but I'm sure it cuts the MPG.  I have no idea if the bus could run 80 MPH consistently and no desire to find out.  Most of my bus trips have been I80 out west so there is little traffic except in Omaha and Salt Lake City.  At 67 MPH we pass as many semis as semis that pass us.

I have gone southeast a few times and the speed limits are generally less.  I still run at 65 MPH which is often the speed limit for trucks/rvs in that area of the country.  In Chicago the speed limit is 55 MPH last I went that way and even 75 MPH can have all kinds of cars passing you.

[TomC]

At least with big rig trucks, the rule of thumb is-for every mile per hour over 55mph to 65mph you loose .1mpg. For every mile per hour over 65mph to 75mph you loose 1.5mpg. So the difference between 55mph and 75mph can be 2.5mpg! Most of my truck companies are limiting their trucks to 65mph for fuel mileage. I believe all large commercial vehicles should be governed to 65mph-course that doesn't include private motorhomes. Good luck, TomC

[luvrbus]

These speed limit post always amuse me back in the 70's and 80's when were ordered to drive 55 mph tops to save fuel no one wanted to drive 55 now we are older and wiser with speed limits up to 85mph we want to drive 55 and 60 mph to save fuel  go figure 

[bevans6]

Trucks are limited to 105 kph with electronic governors in several provinces up here, and seem to run that speed even when they are allowed to go 110 kph by the speed limit.  I just run with the trucks in the slow lane.  Except for the logging trucks.  If they have a decent hill they'll be doing around 90 mph by the bottom of it.  And back to 50 mph on the upside of the next hill.  They are crazy...

Brian

[belfert]

Fuel wasn't $4 a gallon back when speed limits were 55 MPH.  If fuel was back to even $1.50 a gallon I would probably drive at the 75 MPH speed limit.