Estimating Drive Time

[Uplander]

Many years ago an over-the-road trucker told me the very best time anyone can reasonably expect to maintain is 50 miles per hour on the road. Since I started keeping records in 1983 that rule of thumb (50 miles per hour on the road) has held true as a general average under good weather conditions. Bad weather makes that impossible. Bad accidents also will put an end to any hope of achieving that magic 50.

I have a personal maximum whenever I travel with my travel trailer...that is about 200-250 miles per day....always trying to arrive at a campsite in the daylight and avoid setting up in the dark. Our goal is to enjoy the journey and not try to add the stress of "beat-the-clock" to our travels.
Norm and Ginny have the best system...slow down and smell the roses!

We do advanced research on our route....use campground directories to select possible campgrounds for overnight stays...call ahead to be sure space is available....always have alternate campgrounds on our list especially in "High-Season".....always be flexible when traveling.

Happy Camping.

[floyd]

One point is consistently true...
The faster you drive, the smaller percentage of that speed becomes part of the average.

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by floyd

One point is consistently true...
The faster you drive, the smaller percentage of that speed becomes part of the average.

And, since intersections are implicated in many accidents, it follows that one should speed up and spend as little time in the intersection as possible.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

And, since intersections are implicated in many accidents, it follows that one should speed up and spend as little time in the intersection as possible.

A total non sequitur!
.................................................. ..............................................
Let me explain the point using arbitrary figures...
If you drive @60 MPH you might average 54MPH, a loss of 10%
If you drive @70 MPH you might average 60MPH, a loss of 15%
This loss will increase as highway speed goes up.
Even on my bicycle,on a street course I must ride at 17MPH in order to average 15MPH, due to turns, stops, and traffic.

I doubt that speeding up for intersections would mitigate this effect,at least not for long!

[hwdornbush]

We are planning several trips for 2016. We usually aim for a maximum of 400 miles a day and find that we can make it there before dark, in time for supper. We have also learned that if the trip is, say, 700 miles, we go 400 miles the first day and 300 the second day. If the first day is just a stopover, then we don't need to be as early as the second day when we really want to be there in time to enjoy the place a little before dark and supper and of course, happy hour. We travel about 60 mph on the Interstates and good roads. With stops, 50 mph works good for us. We have lately been packing lunches and eating at a rest stop or parking lot, and that shortens the stop time.

[Glenn Baglo]

It's a joke, Floyd,

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

It's a joke, Floyd,

Thanks, its hard to hear inflection or see the expression on a poster's face!

[Alf S.]

Hi: All... Last trip westbound across Ontario from Ottawa took us 2& 1/2 hours extra to get thru Toronto. Has a bad effect on your MPG's too!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[emers382]

Yes Alf the 401 through Toronto never a pleasant trip!

A trip we do regularly we can average 60 mph for 733 miles from home to our daughter's in KS. Only because we are on I29 for 98% of the trip and ND is 75 limit and SD is 80. Of course that's without trailer with it don't go over 65.

When using internet mapping times usually have to add 25% or more especially if trying to avoid interstates.

Adrian


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Alf S.

Hi: All... Last trip westbound across Ontario from Ottawa took us 2& 1/2 hours extra to get thru Toronto. Has a bad effect on your MPG's too!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

LOL pretty well the same here on the West Coast Alf. When traveling for example from Vancouver to an Oregon trailer meet you always need to time it so as to avoid rush hours through Seattle and Portland..... hitting either during rush hour can easliy add an extra hour and a half or more to the trip.

I know some of the GPS have a features for those who pull trailers - they allow you to set it to your set max speed & uses that for calculating your arrival time rather than using the speed limit.

Currently I just add about 25% to what ever my current GPS says it will take me when towing and I add another hour on for every 4 hours of driving to allow time for gas stops and a quick meal/coffee stop.

[Elly G]

We're fulltimers. We aim at 4 hours max on a travel day. We try to drive between rush hours.
Most of the interstates are in deplorable condition. We have started using secondary roads and love that. Less wear and tear on us and equipment. And you really get to see the area. Doesn't add much time to the trip. Sometimes even quicker!
Ranch Roads and Farm to Market roads are often in much better shape than the interstates - and not so many semi's.

[honda03842]

Eileen,

We fully agree with you, particularly in Florida. In Florida we only stay on the Interstate until the Florida border Visitor's center where we get a drink of orange juice, Ginny considers it an inoculation against winter.

Within Florida we often avoid the two digit FL state highways preferring the three digit FL routes. Generally they only have local traffic, are in great condition and often almost totally without lights, at least on roads around us here.

Our top driving time is typically four hours or less (150 miles).