Six-By-Two: Would You Drive One?

With the increased push to get better and better fuel mileage, trucking companies and truck manufacturers are turning to radical ideas. From simple solutions such as full-length chassis and trailer skirts, roof airfoils, and air dams to more radical solutions such as trailer tails, super-single drive and trailer tires, hybrid engines, and fully automatic transmissions, trucking firms and truck manufacturers are seeking the best methods to cut fuel economy without reducing the truck's capability to haul freight.

On the other hand, to achieve revolutionary fuel mileage of 10 mpg and above, companies have to attempt even more extreme solutions. One of these solutions, which is being marketed by Freightliner in their new Cascadia Evolution truck, is the six-by-two axle configuration.

Freightliner Cascadia Evolution

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Instead of having eight powered wheels, these trucks only have four. Typically outfitted with a rear drive axle and a pusher mounted in front of it, a six-by-two truck requires less engine horsepower to push along its single powered axle. But as with other solutions, the question is: Would you as a professional driver operate one with confidence?

In truth, six-by-two configurations are quite common in Europe, but conditions in this part of the world are quite different. Hills are steeper, snows are deeper, and loads--particularly in Canada--are much heavier. Only time will tell if the six-by-two is worthy of the challenges that North America's roads present.

MAN 6x2 Tractor

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 Scania 6x2 Tractor

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Post your responses in the comment box below, and tell me if you think this is an excellent idea or a terrible one.

Preparing for Winter as a Professional Truck Driver

It's coming faster than you might imagine. Winter is right around the corner. In the coming months, leaves will turn color, snow will fall on the mountains, and your job as a truck driver will gain a new level of difficulty. But you don't have to fret about winter if you prepare yourself now.

In reality, winter provides three main challenges for truckers: reduced visibility, reduced traction, and reduced traveling distances per day. Although little can be done about the last factor, you can solve many of the problems related to the first two challenges.

Reduced Visibility

As days become shorter and fog, rain, and snow set in, visibility can become scarce. Dark roads often cause many accidents because drivers fail to see what is ahead before they collide with it. To overcome this situation, you need to get better lighting on your vehicle.

There are two ways to accomplish this: on and off-road lights. On-road lights such as fog lights, headlights, and high beams can be improved for increased performance in rain, fog, snow, or just darkness.

Off-highway lights or moose lights can also provide better visibility in extreme low light situations. Although moose lights are prohibited on some roads, in the far north, these lights are nearly standard on heavy duty semi trucks. Many of these lights have yellow or blue lenses to reduce the reflection of light off snow or water.

Reduced Traction

The second greatest challenge for truckers in winter is reduced traction. How many times do you see trucks spun out on hills, jackknifed, or driven into the ditch each winter? If you haul in the US or Canada, you see these accidents every year.

One of the greatest methods to improve traction on snow and large quantities of ice is tire chains. If you want a better solution than traditional tire chains, you should invest in a set of tryggs. Originally from northern Europe, these chains have gained great popularity in colder climates because they grip the snow with rows or small metal studs. These studs can provide traction in situations where traditional tire chains would be relatively ineffective.

A Professional Driver's Pet Peeves

As a professional driver, you are constantly surrounded by hundreds of other motorists. From other truck drivers to daily commuters, the decisions of these motorists affect you day-in and day-out. Part of the purpose of the RoadRunner 2K blog is to allow truckers to share what they know with other drivers.

My question for you in this blog post is: What Behaviors Frustrate You Most on the Road?

For me, nine actions I see commonly are on my list of irritations, but I want to hear yours in the comment box below.

1. Easing up to a traffic light or stop sign.
2. Failing to stop at a stop sign.
3. Going through a traffic light a millisecond before the light changes to red.
4. Refusing to travel at the speed limit on a two-lane road with no passing.
5. Running along the road beside another vehicle as both head toward a merge lane.
6. Passing in the slow lane at speeds faster than the fast lane.
7. Matching another vehicle's speed so as to travel neck-and-neck down the highway.
8. Turning too sharply on a double-lane turn, forcing the inside vehicle to stop or slow down to avoid a collision.
9. Merging onto a freeway at a speed far below the speed limit, so as to slow down traffic.

A bonus: Preventing another vehicle from passing by accelerating when the vehicle accelerates and slowing down when the passing vehicle slows.

If you have any other pet-peeves that you would like to pass along, please leave them below. Thank you for reading the RoadRunner 2K Blog.