Stevens Transport aviary

Thanks for the information - I usually dont have that kind of luck so I will probably get one with out and APU. Does the APU allow you to run things like a fridge, microwave etc? Really not understanding the APU concept completely. I only have my lap top for now also - but just thinking ahead I guess as I dont want to be forced to eat at the truck stops - would rather cook my own food.

 

An APU (Auxillary Power Unit) is simply a generator. It produces 120v AC power that will run things like your microwave, refrigerator or anything else powered with normal household current.
An inverter draws power from your batteries and converts the 12V DC to 120V AC so you can run normal household current items from your batteries.
Inverters are good for small draw items such as laptops, printers, phone chargers, etc. A larger inverter...say a 1500w model will run a microwave for a couple minutes, but it takes a lot of power from your battery to do that. If you're running your APU or truck engine, it's recharging your batteries and that's ok. However, you can draw your battery down pretty fast using the inverter for something big like a microwave.
Hence the APU.
A decent APU will cost you at least $3,000 and more likely closer to $5,000. This is why virtually no company drivers buy one for their truck.
The APU will allow you to run a heater or AC unit. They draw far less fuel to do this than idling your truck engine. This is one of the reasons a company will equip their trucks with APUs. There are many states and more coming that don't allow idling your engine such as CA.
Imagine not being able to idle your engine to run AC when the temps are in the 90's!
So companies (such as Stevens) know their drivers will idle the engine for heat and AC, so in the longer run, it's cheaper for them to provide APUs on trucks and pay for a quarter of the fuel costs that idling costs.
This has all come about in the last couple years as APUs have become popular and idling laws have come about.
It won't be long, as Stevens replaces their fleet, that all trucks will have APUs. Right now they provide the few APU trucks to new students that have to run something like a C-PAP machine.
A 400w inverter that plugs into your cigarette lighter will run your laptop and recharge your cellphone just fine. Not expensive either.
Worry first about learning the ropes and getting settled into the system with Stevens. There's a lot to learn and you'll be overwhelmed at first. Your trainer will probably have an APU and inverter on board. Virtually all trainers for Stevens now are Alliance drivers and have equipped their trucks accordingly.
You'll be assigned your first truck after O2 and graduation. So you have about 3 months on trainers trucks first, before worrying about these items. Your trainer will help you understand what works best for you.

 

yes please thank you

 

There was another message over the QC this morning saying they are short of freight and not to call. So here I still sit waiting..... I have noticed there are more and more Stevens trucks sitting here.

 

They must be getting tired of drivers yelling at them to do their jobs!!!! Here we all sit. I am 70 miles north of you, hoping that maybe there was freight in the Bakersfield area, and got told no...was told on the phone, they called me, after a QC message stating I am willing to deadhead to the bakersfield area to be loaded, no freight, will send out pre-plans later today to get trucks moving again tomorrow. The personal phone call, NOT from my driver manager, but a fill in, was nice.

So they are looking to get me dispatched before layover pay kicks in They are good at that. Why they send us to the meat patch 2 days before the load is ready. Sure would like to be a fly on the wall back in Dallas...wonder what account Stevens lost, to have all these trucks setting around being unproductive. They know just how many trucks are going into Cally each day, so they know how many loads out they need. Something happened. Wet weather could cause a day delay, but two???

Here is where being a company driver is better than an alliance driver, company not making any money, but no bills growing either. The payment does not stop just because Stevens can NOT keep me moving. Sure would like to hear from some of the other drivers out there, and where they are at, and are they moving?

 

heard from one of my friends, he has been running Laredo to Ohio and back the last 2 weeks, and running hard. We are just in the right place at the wrong time.

 

Well I am at the famed I-80 truck stop. We are on our way to pick up a meat load that will deliver to CT, which will give me my NE dock then they are working a load that will take me cross country to get my 2 mtns and NW. At that point it's time to head to Dallas for O2. Thank god it only took them to week 5 to figure out I need this ##### done.

 

Oh yeah I forgot. Steven's found the truck but the trailer filled with frozen Tyson chicken and driver are gone. It was his first load out on grad-fleet. My opinion is he really liked chicken so if you see a HUGE BBQ going on let Steven's know.lol

 

I received my load assignment. A produce load that picks up tommorow and delivers on the 24th. It is 932 paid miles. Just as I was coming up against my 48 hours I get the assignment so no layover pay for me.

I was also switched to the pre-alliance fleet today.

 

I received my load assignment. A produce load that picks up tommorow and delivers on the 24th. It is 932 paid miles. Just as I was coming up against my 48 hours I get the assignment so no layover pay for me.

I was also switched to the pre-alliance fleet today.