Remember to bring your fan!

All modern trucks are capable of recording idle time as a percentage of total engine run time. My company requires it to be under 5% to be eligible for the fuel bonus. 5% means that for every 10 hrs you drive, the truck can idle for 30 minutes. But we have diesel-powered APUs, so it's really not a big deal. Personally, every time I have my brakes set, the engine is off. Last bonus period, I had well under 1% idle time.

As far as truck stops and rest areas allowing it, it all depends on local laws.

 

You don't want to pack that heavy and I doubt your trainer will want you running the batteries down. Companies have options how to set the idle up. One of them is by the outside temperature. I don't know about Knight, someone else will tell you. Besides that the trainer will be driving while you sleep which means AC. I'm sure the trainer has the necessities to stay comfortable when parked. Your concern is bedding, clothes and toiletries. Your lucky to get one cabinet if not just one shelf and the foot of your bed for storage. Pretend it's a 2 month back packing trip. Trainer time you'll be absorbing a lot and adapting to sleeping in a moving truck. You'll have very little time for anything else.

We have several good packing list threads. Use our search feature to find them.

Idle laws depend on where you are at. Even at that some even idle. It's not like there are many no idle police running around. No idle I think of places like CT.

 

90 degrees at night in Phoenix.. A fan? Haha good luck.

 

Different States have different laws regarding idling, and then some States allow it but certain cities within that State don't. California is the worst, but quite a few of the east coast States have no idling laws as well. It's up to you to find out and abide by those laws.

 

I wouldn't even bother, either go with a company with APUs.

Or your just going to have to find a way to beat the system.

 

At US Xpress, we can idle when the temperature is below 28 and above 70.

I would never work anywhere with a strict no idle policy. Like a poster said.....not idle in Phoenix is crazy.

Not being able idle in extreme conditions in my book is a safety violation.

 

Try 101 during the day in bakersfield. That was last friday. 88 in Coachella saturday night. Not ideal but its possible due to the under 15% humidity. Try 80 in florida with 95% humidity.

 

a couple of 18 inch fans work pretty good. as long as the sun isn't shining.

 

Remember, it is illegal to leave a pet in a car with the engine off on a hot day, truckers though are not as well loved as pets, you can leave them in a truck with the engine off on a hot day and nobody cares.

Adam