Many of us have little ones at home that love to ask questions. They are especially fascinated with watching those huge trucks drive down the road. You’ve probably had children ask you to honk the horn for them. Have they ever asked you during a stop at your local gas station if the gas in your car is the same that you use in the big truck you drive for work? At Bay & Bay Transportation in Dallas, TX, we love when kids ask these great questions about truck driving.
Different vehicle types use different types of fuel. The family car uses some form of gasoline or ethanol. The commercial trucks that we drive in our truck driving careers run on 1-D or 2-D diesel fuel. All gasoline has an octane rating that helps drivers choose how to fuel their cars. Most vehicles run best with 87 octane gasoline, but some will run better with 89 octane. Some cars may also run on ethanol blends like E85 fuel. Drivers should always consult their owner’s manual before fueling.
Diesel fuels are rated by a cetane number and viscosity measurement. Part of your truck driving career is making sure your commercial truck operates efficiently in any conditions. For most of the year, you will choose 2-D diesel because it offers better fuel economy and helps your truck haul large loads over long distance routes. In winter, you may switch to 1-D diesel or a blended diesel fuel. 1-D diesel flows more easily, while other diesel fuels may stop flowing in frigid temperatures. Truck drivers may also select clean-burning biodiesel to fuel their trucks.
What’s the difference?
Both gasoline and diesel are made with crude oil, but they are made to be used in different kinds of engines. We put gasoline in the gasoline engine of a family car or truck, where the fuel is ignited by the spark plugs in the engine. We put diesel in our commercial trucks, where the fuel can ignite spontaneously when put under high compression in our diesel engines. We can’t put diesel in our family car at home or put gasoline in our commercial trucks because these two fuels will only work in the right kind of engine.
Children love to learn and explore! Feel free to wave if you can safely do so when you spot them watching the different trucks and cars drive by. When you are back home from an over-the-road haul, you might take your children and younger relatives for a walk around the truck so they can help you “inspect” it. They might also like to sit in the cab with you for a few minutes. Who knows? You might inspire the next truck driving generation with Bay & Bay Transportation in Dallas, TX!