Towing fuel mileage

[gravdigr]

The shipping companies are now charging us $10 per 100lb of granite they deliver to us from Elberton GA. Now it would be a 1,300 mile round trip for me. I have an 18' trailer that I could haul about 8,000 lb of granite on. Now to get 8,000 lbs of granite delivered would cost me about $800. Would it be unreasonable to expect an average 13 mpg from a diesel 1 ton dump truck driving down unloaded and back towing 10,000 lbs load and trailer combined? At 13 mpg that would be 100 gal at say $2.35/gal would come to $235 for fuel saving me about $500.

So what could I expect for fuel mileage? I'm planning on getting a diesel 1 ton dump truck in the near future, probably a dodge CTD. 3 shipments a year could save my company $1,500 and I could visit some family in south carolina and virginia

 

[Jonny-K5]

with a dodge you might get 13 combined. we have a 95 powerstroke dump that averages 8-9. its over 10K empty tho. supposedly it got 14 when it was a tow truck. my dads 99 dodge P/U usually get 20 empty on the freeway. what kind of dump you thinking about? one with short sides? ours has a 5ft tall box, about as aerodymanic as a brick.


how new of a truck are you thinking of? the newer they are, the more power and better mileage you'll get IMO.

 

[dhcomp]

I have no idea, except to say that mileage will go way down wiht 8000 lbs in tow, no matter the truck.

Haha, but thats obvious, and im sure you already figured that.

Also remember though, if you are buying a new diesel, a lot of them get ****ty mileage til they are broken in (15-20,000 miles)

 

[dyeager535]

Well, depending on your lifestyle, you'd have to figure in the amount of time YOU spent sitting in the truck driving and not working/doing whatever you want, and somehow come to a dollar value for that. (your company, so I guess you are "saving" money, but if you sent an employee, how much would that cost you?) Not to mention spending the night if you didn't feel up to 1300 miles a day.

Gas isn't the only consideration, the shippers have to pay the drivers.

Nothing to do with fuel economy really, but the fuel "savings" almost always need to be examined closely. Just like buying a new car for $10,000 that gets 10MPG better MPG, it will take a long time to add up to "savings".

 

[gravdigr]

I want something relatively new, no more than 5 years old if possible. Our current dump is 20 years old. I'm looking at the short aluminum bed with low or no sides. Our current truck is 6,740 lbs with 10.5' steel bed and 2wd. I figure an 8' aluminum bed truck should weigh less even if it is 4wd.

As for the cost of my time? 2 days of my time is worth $500 to me. For lodging I have a granma in SC and uncle in virginia beach either of which would appreciate a visit (and they both are excellent cooks ). And if not, well it wouldn't be the first time I stretched across a bench seat and took a nap at a rest stop.

 

[diesel4me]

Ramp truck???

Maybe a large ramp truck would be a good idea--then when your not hauling granite,you could make some dough scrapping stuff,or towing other peoples cars and trucks on your way down (why go empty??)...plus you could keep your own yard clean!..just a thought..

 

[gravdigr]

Need a dump truck for digging graves.