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It is likely more efficient for trucks to only turn left. Turning right often takes more time than turning left, as a right turn can often involve waiting for t

It is likely more efficient for trucks to only turn left. Turning right often takes more time than turning left, as a right turn can often involve waiting for traffic to move out of your way. Back when I drove trucks, any time I had to drive in SF, I purposely chose left turning routes for this reason. The reason fuel efficient trucks are so much more expensive is because they are bought by companies with accountants and finance departments instead of guilt-ridden liberals. They have to actually demonstrate ROI in order to sell well. With the margin padding that manufacturers and dealers expect, that ROI is often washed away. With a company like WalMart doing the design, with contract manufacturing, they likely could make a decent return.

Theodores 13y ago
Thanks for your comment and perspective. My quip regarding UPS was a carry over from a thread that was on here yesterday with not a lot of thought beyond that! (Allegedly for UPS it is more efficient for them to do routes with no right turns.) It figures that big trucks prefer right turns but until you pointed it out here I had not put two and two together, despite anecdotal evidence I see on a daily basis. This is actually useful knowledge as I share the road with the big trucks. I ride one of those vehicles where I am the crumple zone (a bicycle) in London where a lot of cyclists get killed down inside the left-hand side of left-turning trucks (we drive on the left and call 'trucks' 'lorries'). There is a lot of consternation about this with truck drivers tarred with the same brush quite unfairly (in my opinion they are professional drivers, cyclists, nah). A little bit of understanding could help. In all the debate I have seen I have never seen it mentioned how left turns (in the UK) are particularly tricky for long vehicles as they need to use the on-coming traffic lane of the road they are turning into or the road they are on. This little detail needs to be widely understood by cyclists, it is not as if lorry drivers are being deliberately retarded and un-caring, a left turn is something very difficult for them and well beyond what a mere cyclist is capable of.

Theodores 13y ago

Thanks for your comment and perspective. My quip regarding UPS was a carry over from a thread that was on here yesterday with not a lot of thought beyond that! (Allegedly for UPS it is more efficient for them to do routes with no right turns.) It figures that big trucks prefer right turns but until you pointed it out here I had not put two and two together, despite anecdotal evidence I see on a daily basis. This is actually useful knowledge as I share the road with the big trucks. I ride one of those vehicles where I am the crumple zone (a bicycle) in London where a lot of cyclists get killed down inside the left-hand side of left-turning trucks (we drive on the left and call 'trucks' 'lorries'). There is a lot of consternation about this with truck drivers tarred with the same brush quite unfairly (in my opinion they are professional drivers, cyclists, nah). A little bit of understanding could help. In all the debate I have seen I have never seen it mentioned how left turns (in the UK) are particularly tricky for long vehicles as they need to use the on-coming traffic lane of the road they are turning into or the road they are on. This little detail needs to be widely understood by cyclists, it is not as if lorry drivers are being deliberately retarded and un-caring, a left turn is something very difficult for them and well beyond what a mere cyclist is capable of.