Apparently they have instituted a new policy, I really wasnt able to get a straight answer from the fleet manager, thats the driver managers boss. Originally they wanted the idle percentage below 40 %, then it moved to 35,..now its at 20. I had a 788 mile trip with 9.75 hrs of idle in order to sleep and they told me I was over by 26%. I had a 46% idle rate on that trip from Houston to Atlanta.

I went to the website to look at the idle policy and that feature has been locked. Rumors I have been hearing is they are going to put any driver who violates the 20% rule back into Temp A Start trucks, I will leave if they do that. I usually dont bash the hand that feeds me but if taking my 10 hr rest period on a 788 mile run is a violation, they suck.

At 20 percent a 1200 mile run should only result in a driver being able to either sleep twice for about 4.25 hrs or once for 8.5 hrs,..I guess its up to the driver on that.

When they first started getting anal about idle time, they stated 10 hrs a day, but its not their policy to allow that even, if your trip departs ona Friday afternoon for example, and delivers on Monday AM, but is only say 1200 miles, if you take 3 10 hr breaks over the weekend to keep your body clock right, you will be over the limit because they will tell you you took 1 too many breaks.

I will probably end up leaving over this, I hate to, good equipment and I get good miles and home time,but I was told I needed to learn to sleep in the truck without the A/C and if I couldnt do that, look into Idleaire,..I refuse to do either of those things.

Thoughts???

what's a "Temp A Start trucks" ?
I have opti-idle in this truck.(Crete) With the nice, thick mattres I can't tell when the truck starts or stops.

Have they shut the A/C off in the corporate offices? No?

Tell 'em to stick the truck in their donkey.

So why hasn't wonderfull Swift, added apu's on thier trucks? It's not like they can't afford them. Buy in bulk, and get a cheaper priece.

Your right, i'm sure they haven't turned off the ac in the office.
Oh we can't do that, heat kills computers.
But you the driver, can open your windows.

I had a truck with temp a start, if you set your thermostat in the bunk at 72 degrees, and have the temp a start set the truck starts when the temp falls 3 degrees below 72, then shuts off at 2 degrees above 72. for one month my idle time was 14 % and i was in some cold temps, never got to cold or to hot with it, and if you shut your truck off when you dont need it to idle that helps,, i even had the temp a start set at docks while loading and unloading, i dont know what kind of system you have now but the tempa start worked good for me.

Don't kid yourself, Jerry has tried filing Chapter 11 on his hockey team, Jerry and Swift are in some real financial trouble...just got stuck with 250 nice brand new day cabs for a contract that he didn't get (LA Harbor), now these trucks are neatly parked in the Mira Loma terminal against the fence...but they are still brand new...just unused.

__________________



I'm a Born Again American, conceived in Liberty
My Bible and the Bill of Rights, my creed's equality
I'm a Born Again American, my country 'tis of me
And everyone who shares the dream
From sea to shining sea.
lyrics; Keith Carradine thank you

Yea on top of the lawsuits his own kids have against him for 110 million, then his brother is in on that with the kids as well,, look out Jerry and Swift,

Thought the family thing was over...is this a new one or still going on the old one?

__________________



I'm a Born Again American, conceived in Liberty
My Bible and the Bill of Rights, my creed's equality
I'm a Born Again American, my country 'tis of me
And everyone who shares the dream
From sea to shining sea.
lyrics; Keith Carradine thank you

I'm sorry your faced with this problem. I too had to resign, from Carolina Cargo Inc., because of idiling charges and out of route miles...

I took my dog to PetSmart the other day. It was a 80 deg day, one of the workers came up to me demanding I could not leave my dog in the car, with the windows down. "It was against the law"

I was picking up my other dog from grooming.

This employee stood on his head that he would call the police if I left the dog, for any amt of time. I had to take Molly in w/ me.
I was not going to be but a few mins.

Temperatures can reach outrageous highs inside vehicles, we all know this.

For a company to subject a driver to the elements and charge them for maintaining their basic needs is inhumane.

__________________
KC

"For every trucker with a headache,there is another with an aspirin in their pocket."

Tough Times Don't Last...Tough People Do

couple gallons of red paint and they'll be knights