TMC truck specs.

Bunk heater (I believe in most), Premium sound, Platinum interior. Governed at 62, no APU. You are allowed to idle sensibly.

 

They need to make that a bit clearer on their websites listed specs. Unreasonable to expect a driver to stay in a truck for extended periods of time with just a bunk heater...esp when guys get caught in ice storms/inclement weather and have to sit for a day or two, getting chewed out for idling his truck just to keep the freagin bunk heater battery charged.

 

That sounds like it would fall under the sensibly definition. I believe there are also temps where you are required to idle. I'm just going on what I've read. no insider information from me (YET).

 

When I was at TMC, nobody ever said anything about idling. Also, you were required to idle the truck in sub-15 degree weather and it was made very clear that any freeze ups from not doing so were the driver's responsibility.

I idled to stay warm in winter, or cool in summer. Nothing excessive, just as necessary to ensure decent rest. We didn't have bunk heaters though, that would have saved me a lot of idling above the required temp threshold.

 

The new 579's have bunk heaters and don't have to be idled until it gets below 0*. I was told that somehow the bunk heater actually charged itself when running but Im still in the old 379 so I don't know for sure. The 379's don't have bunk heaters and need to be idled when below 15* like previously stated. I idle to stay comfortable and never hear anything about it.

 

The small fridge and and tv wont drain your batteries if just sitting over night. I ran both without the apu and never had a problem. Just when I was stuck out on the weekend I would have to idle a little to charge the batteries back up. In the summer time I had a fridge, tv, dvd player,fan running and charging my phone at night and never had any trouble.