Welcome, there is a wealth of information and ideas on here.... Check out the performance thread for these trucks, its crazy what some people are twisting out of the little 5.9. My wife "putters" around in her new CTD all week long, 5 miles to work, home at lunch, back to work, and home again... every day.
I usually warm it up on Saturday morning and take it down the road to "blow the "cobwebs" out of it. Every saturday morning I get a healthy plume of soot first time I roll into it pretty good. But, I've noticed afterwards that the engine quietens down. By next Friday afternoon, its rattling pretty good again.
Gonna put my B&W Gooseneck hitch in next weekend and see if I can actually get the engine to do a little work.
Congrats on the new truck.

 

If you only drive a short distance I would definitely drive it hard. The cummins loves to work. Just make sure you're up to operating temp first. The more I beat on my truck the more it loves it. I doubt I could say the same for the rest of the truck though!

 

Welcome.. I am in the same boat..

I only drive 3 miles to work..

here is what I do.. I plug it in every night.. then I start truck and let it idle for atleast 20 mins before I drive it..

Buy this time truck is right up to temp.. I drive smooth and slow for about 1 mile then I DRIVE it last 2 miles.. let it idle in parking lot for another 5 or so mins before shut down and so far so good, but on the weekends I ride it every where and I drive it hard.. other words I stretch it legs a little

 

The best way to use a diesel engine is to run it. Turning it on and off and short runs should be left to the gassers.

 

Thats why shes(my wife) getting a new Honda Accord next year!!!!!!...