Newer Western Express trucks - are they automatic?

They are going with Automatics on all their newer purchases for the fleet. The autos get average 8 mpg compared to the 6.8 mpg their 10 speeds are getting. The Freightliner Cascadia Evo I'm in now is an auto 12 speed. Hope that helps.

 

They're a whole lot easier on that left leg. And no more small pieces of metal shavings left behind after all that grinding...

 

No apu's on the trucks. They do have bunk heaters for the winter. At 70 degrees and below idle shutoff occurs in 5 minutes. If you spreadsheet out the total cost of an apu vs idle to keep the cab cool when temp is above 70, the apu doesn't make sense. WE does pay for idle air if you can find it.

 

id like to see how that adds up. by my math dd15 uses 1 GPH at idle so after 10 hours (DOT legal break) at 4.00/gal is 40.00 per day.
40.00 per day * 7 days=280.00/wk
280.00/wk after 3 weeks (avg time out)=840.00 assuming no reset has been taken.

APU cost ;1 gallo per 10 hr shift=40.00 per week
40.00*3 weeks out =120.00

it is cost effective to have an APU, WE just refuses to pay for them.

APU cost is approx 10k (for single unit, wit 300 trucks prob get one hell of a discount)
APU would be paid for in one year. WE holds on to the truks for 3-4 years so 2-3 years they would make more moeny and could afford to pay the drivers more

 

An APU is worth it to some, not to others. They're expensive to buy and install and most companies don't keep their trucks long enough to recoup the fuel savings, especially when you consider repair costs, which can be high. And, honestly, some companies are just anti-APU.

But for me as a driver, not having one is a deal breaker. I absolutely HATE idling to stay warm. It's an environmental disaster and, in many cases, it's very noisy.