Archive for February, 2019

Tips for Conserving Fuel

Friday, February 22nd, 2019
Tips for Conserving Fuel
Saving fuel on your next trip will also save you plenty of headaches. You’re on a schedule, and stopping frequently to re-fuel can mess with your delivery time.

Saving fuel on your next trip will also save you plenty of headaches. You’re on a schedule, and stopping frequently to re-fuel can mess with your delivery time. Plus, frequent re-fueling can get pretty expensive. Here are some handy tips for conserving fuel.

Be Responsible

No matter what size truck you drive, you’ve got to be responsible every time you’re out on the road. Other drivers won’t be as considerate, so you need to keep yourself safe. Follow the speed limit as often as you can. When you speed up, you start to use more fuel than if you went more slowly. That said, you want to maintain a reasonable speed – driving too slowly can be just as dangerous as going too fast, especially around sharp turns. Don’t idle your truck, which can eat up unnecessary amounts of fuel. Be sure to turn the engine off every time you get out of the cab, and try using cruise control sometimes, since this can also help you save some gas.

Observe Traffic Patterns

Next, observe the traffic patterns. Stop and go traffic can guzzle more gas than you expect. So getting stuck in it will make you use a lot more than normal. Slowing down and stopping at the right times will make a difference, though. Before your next cargo haul, take a minute to look at the gear shift on your truck. If it’s manual, you’re in luck. That’s because you won’t need to keep shifting gears all the time, which also helps you conserve fuel. Avoid stomping on the brake unless you have to because this tactic also burns too much fuel.

Track Oil Levels

Keep an eye on the oil levels in your truck. Like any vehicle on the road, it will require occasional oil changes. Be sure to use the right type of oil, because when you do, you can increase your overall gas mileage. Make sure you top off your diesel fuel tank before getting on the road; the more gas you have, the farther you can go.

Middleton & Meads is Your ONE STOP Shop for ALL of Your Vehicle’s NEEDS.

Need to repair your truck or bus? Contact Middleton & Meads today! Middleton & Meads provides quality truck and bus repair, service, and fleet management for the Baltimore, MD area. We have over 90 years of experience in the trucking industry and will provide you with customer service like you have never experienced before! If you are interested in seeing how we can help your business, give us a call at (410) 752-5588 or visit us online today! For more articles and trucking tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and LinkedIn.

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Do You Want to Be An Owner-Operator?

Friday, February 15th, 2019
Do You Want to Be An Owner Operator?
When you purchase a truck and operate independently, you become what’s known as an owner operator.

When you first start out your trucking career, you’ll probably be hired by a company to be a part of a fleet. For a lot of truckers, this path is just fine. Some, however, want to be their own boss. When you purchase a truck and operate independently, you become what’s known as an owner operator. Here are some of the things you should consider if you’re thinking about becoming an owner operator.

Tracking

The first thing you should do if you’re considering becoming an owner operator is to start tracking all of your expenses. Tracking time, fuel costs, maintenance costs, and all expenses associated with the jobs you do. Track all of these things until you feel like you have a reasonable sample of what you should expect to spend as an owner operator.

Financing

When you choose to become an owner operator, you’re starting a business. Even if it’s just you and your truck, it’s your very own small business. Starting a business requires an investment. Careful budgeting can help you save up enough to get your business started off right.

Choosing Your Vehicle

The largest expense of starting your owner operator business will be purchasing the truck. You will want to be absolutely certain that you’re choosing quality equipment because without a good truck, your business won’t get very far. A popular option among owner operators, especially when they’re first starting out, is to purchase a used truck. This way, you can pay off your initial investment and save more to turn around and sell that truck and invest in a better one. However, this plan only works if you keep all of the trucks you own well-maintained while you have them. No one will want to purchase an old, worn out truck.

Lifestyle Changes

Trucking is a largely solitary lifestyle. When you become an owner-operator, it can be even more isolating. When you work for a larger company, you have coworkers and dispatchers that you will need to communicate with. As an owner operator, you are your own dispatcher. There is also a lot of personal accountability and discipline involved. You have to be able to hold yourself accountable for staying on schedule and getting your jobs done.

Middleton & Meads is Your ONE STOP Shop for ALL of Your Vehicle’s NEEDS.

Need to repair your truck or bus? Contact Middleton & Meads today! Middleton & Meads provides quality truck and bus repair, service, and fleet management for the Baltimore, MD area. We have over 90 years of experience in the trucking industry and will provide you with customer service like you have never experienced before! If you are interested in seeing how we can help your business, give us a call at (410) 752-5588 or visit us online today! For more articles and trucking tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and LinkedIn.

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3 Tips to Help You Through Your Next Long Haul

Friday, February 8th, 2019
3 Tips to Help You Through Your Next Long Haul
Whether you’re preparing yourself for your first long haul or you’re a seasoned professional, these tips can help make the road ahead more comfortable.

When you choose a career path that requires a lot of driving, like trucking, you know that you will be spending lots and lots of long hours on the road. Sometimes you will even be driving through the night. Whether you’re preparing yourself for your first long haul or you’re a seasoned professional, these tips can help make the road ahead more comfortable.

Fuel Yourself

Every responsible trucker knows to keep a careful eye on fuel use and fuel economy for their vehicle. It is just as important that you make sure you keep yourself properly “fueled” as well. Always drink plenty of water. Stock your truck with nutrient-rich snacks for the journey. When you’re on a long haul, you’ll likely stop at a few truck stops along the way. Grab a couple of pieces of fresh fruit or some granola if you need to re-stock quickly.

Try Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy can make a huge difference in making your long haul more pleasant. Different scents can help you stay more awake and alert for the long drive. When it comes time to stop and sleep for the night, there are essential oils and sprays that can help to create a more relaxing atmosphere when you’re trying to sleep hundreds of miles from home.

Adjust Your Posture

Bad posture can effect many aspects of your physical health and how you feel. When you’re sitting and driving for the majority of your day, it is extremely important to make sure you’ve got good posture. If you’re constantly slouched over the steering wheel, it can cause your back, neck, shoulders, and even hips to misalign. These misalignments can lead to all sorts of soreness and pain. If the problem becomes serious enough, it can even potentially require surgery.

Middleton & Meads is Your ONE STOP Shop for ALL of Your Vehicle’s NEEDS.

Need to repair your truck or bus? Contact Middleton & Meads today! Middleton & Meads provides quality truck and bus repair, service, and fleet management for the Baltimore, MD area. We have over 90 years of experience in the trucking industry and will provide you with customer service like you have never experienced before! If you are interested in seeing how we can help your business, give us a call at (410) 752-5588 or visit us online today! For more articles and trucking tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and LinkedIn.

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Myths about Diesel Engines

Friday, February 1st, 2019
Myths about Diesel Engines
Over the years, some myths have been developed about diesel engines.

The diesel engines used in commercial trucks are very different from the engines used in regular passenger vehicles in many ways. They require different maintenance and run very differently.  Over the years, some myths have been developed about diesel engines. Here are just a few examples of those and why they are wrong.

Checking the Temperature

In a regular gasoline vehicle, checking the coolant temperature will tell you whether the engine is warmed up or not. In a diesel engine, however, this is not necessarily true. Diesel engines were designed to carry immensely heavy loads, and they are very different from the engines used in regular vehicles. So, if the coolant in your truck is warm, that doesn’t always mean that your engine is as well.

Extended Idle Time

Idling for extended periods of time is particularly common in the winter time, when temperatures are particularly low. This is mostly because many truckers believe that it will keep the fuel from getting too cold. While it doesn’t use a whole lot of fuel, the fuel that is used can’t combust properly while the truck is idling. This increases wear and tear on the engine and increases pollutants in the air unnecessarily. If you need to stop for a while, just turn off the engine.

RPM and Engine Longevity

It is widely believed that most of the “wear and tear” on diesel engines is a result of the high revolutions per minute (RPM) rate. But the reality is that the majority of the normal wear and tear happens when the engine is started up and not allowed to warm up properly. When a diesel engine is started, it needs a minute to warm up to allow the oil to flow freely. Otherwise, you could end up causing unnecessary damage over time.

Middleton & Meads is Your ONE STOP Shop for ALL of Your Vehicle’s NEEDS.

Need to repair your truck or bus? Contact Middleton & Meads today! Middleton & Meads provides quality truck and bus repair, service, and fleet management for the Baltimore, MD area. We have over 90 years of experience in the trucking industry and will provide you with customer service like you have never experienced before! If you are interested in seeing how we can help your business, give us a call at (410) 752-5588 or visit us online today! For more articles and trucking tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and LinkedIn.

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