[Per]

we had all of our trucks governed to 63 MPH. However, drivers have nothing to do but talk on the CB all day and share information how to defeat he governor. We had several high speed accidents before we learned the drivers simply wired the dash light rheostat to the electronic governor and by simply turning up the rheostat they could turn up their governed speed. After I sold the trucking company one of our trucks rear ended a car with 7 nursing students. 5 of the students were killed. I don’t say a lot, but an 80,000 pound truck or a 50,000 pound bus driven at 75 or 80 miles per hour is being driven by a fool!

[Raymond]

At temps at 100 or over I slow to 55 mph and have never had a blow out but put new tires on about every two years , slow the f””””k down when it’s hot out ,and check pressure before u leave I never drive over 62 or about 1500 rpm in sixth ever period!!!’m

[Archived]

All of a sudden my self imposed speed limit of 62 is beginning to make more sense than ever. To be honest it has nothing to do with tires on hot roads, but what is a very relaxing speed that allows almost 100% use of the cruise control because it seems like it is just below the average speed so there is very little passing or coming up on slower moving vehicles.

But in my 6 speed Series 60 coaches it is 1500 RPM which also seems like the sweet spot for the engine. It extends my fuel range also so I don’t have to spend as much time in truck stops.

And it all started when I realized I can drive fast, but the coach brakes really suck and it is not about how fast I can go, but how fast I can stop.

I accept the flaming from those who will claim I am a traffic hazard if my speed is too low because I also drive my other vehicles at substantially higher speeds. I know when I come upon slower vehicles I have to respond. It just means I can’t be screwing with my phone or my GPS or my radio. I actually have to drive so if someone else is driving slow it is up to me to respond.

[Shelby & Barbara]

Look what can happen to a 73,000 pound Rotator wrecker that blows a front tire at Highway speeds. The driver was ok. We don’t know how fast he was going or how old the tire was, but these trucks do not run a lot of miles, so the tires could age out. My neighbor bought this one new and sold it in 2011 with 6,000 miles on it. He had already changed out the front tires because as far as he was concerned, they had aged out. This truck carries 26,000 pounds on the front end. He ended up buying a twin-steer rotator, so he would could reduce the weight per axle up front. It actually turns better.

It broke his heart to see this. He keeps his trucks in immaculate condition (mechanically and cosmetically), and even though he sold it 5 years ago he still kept track of it through the two latest owners.

Just goes to show how fast bad things can happen.

Top one is Dean’s new twin steer. The bottom two are of the one he sold.

I always tell him I love his wrecker’s , but I just never want to need them.

[Archived]

It would be interesting to know (1) how fast the driver was going, (2) how old the tires were, (3) whether the driver hit the accelerator or the brakes when the tire blew.

[Archived]

Out here in SD, the speed limit is 80 on the Interstates. I set the cruise at 65 which looks like 1500 rpm’ son my coach. In the hills or mountains, I’m down to 35 to 55, depending on the grade, shifting in/out gears from 4th to 6th.

I think Jon’s comment on our brakes is right on. I was driving a semi on my wife’s family farm last month for Wheat harvest. The brakes on both semi’s had much better stopping power than the brakes on my bus, which seem extremely “squishy” (non technical term) in comparison.

[Archived]

Any of us who have driven trucks and compared them to our coaches will agree our coach brakes leave a lot to be desired.

They have greatly improved from the ones on my first bus with all drum and manually adjusted slack adjusters, but they still leave a whole lot to be desired and over driving our brakes can get us in serious trouble really fast because the cars that pull in too close and then hit their brakes won’t ever understand how stupid and dangerous that is untill we are parked in their back seat.

Goerge has a real clear understanding of how we as drivers have to be prepared to consider alternates to stopping such as a fast evasive move when stopping is not going to prevent the accident. Because of that I am wearing out my neck muscles looking at my mirrors so I am always aware if a sudden lane change is possible because stopping distances are so great.