Sleeping in truck in winter

Being an asthmatic. When it's hot and humid is when it's a problem. So APUs would be a must for me.

 

I'm surprised they're not more common. In an industry that has such difficulties with retention, it would seem to me that carriers would invest more into quality of life for their drivers, to encourage people to stay employed with them.

But then again, I still know next to nothing about this industry. And I'm sure the megacarriers all have this nickel and dimed out. Sucks that drivers have to eat the ####-end of that deal though.

 

I pull tanks so I just idle. Gotta keep the chemicals in the tank warm.

 

I work for a small company with old trucks. The last year and a half I've been driving a beat up 2006 Freightliner Columbia that was once a Schneider rig. It took some getting used to but I figure I'm beat up as well and so is she.

It has an old style electric bunk heater which is basically a built in version of the heaters you can buy. Its fine for moderate cold, meaning around 35-or 40 degrees but using it in freezing weather saps the batteries. The only thing to do on zero degree nights is keep the engine idling. I found that a heater setting of about half way and a fan setting around three quarters works best.

Also the right kind of bedding and sleeping clothes are important. I teamed with a guy last winter who had a couple of thin blankets and slept in his underwear. Then he wanted to crank the heater and fan up full blast til it was like a sauna.
I have a moderate weather sleeping bag that I supplement in winter with a second, somewhat thinner bag. I sack my main bag inside the second one. I have two or three extra blankets that I wrap up with inside my bag and if I need to drape one more over me. I also put at least one blanket underneath me between me and the bunk. I learned way back in the Boy scouts that its important to have as much under your body as over.
I get into sweat pants and shirt and though I don't like sleeping in socks keep them on. Also a cap. In cold weather the most important things to keep warm are feet, hands and head.

Oh yeah sometimes I'm asked why I don't get a subzero sleeping bag. I answer that a good one costs hundreds of dollars and I'm only going to use it a few months each year. Also, Most of my runs even during the winter are to moderate climates. Only occasional runs to the Midwest or up to Wyoming where I was last week.
Good Luck and stay warm

 

I have a big fluffy queen size comforter with a fluffy queen blanket nested together and folded in half. Get in like a sleeping bag. Have slept just fine in single digit weather with the truck turned off. I didn't know it was single digits, it was 18 degrees when I turned in.

 

Can a small like Honda generater be use for electrical power. Let's say you mount it outside behind the sleeper. Is that legal. If so this then can be used for heater blankets/mattress pad,or whatever you might want power for so you don't run the batteries down.

 

I've never had anyone say anything to me for idling. If they did I'd ask them if its legal to keep an animal in that hot or cold of a good vehicle. I'm pretty sure they'd get the point. Their office is airconditioned and heated. So are their cars and houses. I expect no less than what everyone else gets.

 

Espar bunk heater and the cold temps are draining my batteries. I rather sleep cold than wake up to a dead truck. Double socks and sweater do ok. Idle'ing all night with low winds and parked between trucks causes the smell of exhaust to seep in from under the cab after like 5 hours. I don't like that the exhaust pipe is under the cab. This didn't happen with my last truck. :/

 

I agree with you on that. If a parent or a pet owner can get arrested for leaving there child or there pet in the vehicle when its to hot or cold the the owners of the trucking company should be arrested if we have to sit in a hot or cold truck, Wait congress should be fined. LOL. Do what makes you comfortable,its your home while your on the road.

 

Yes it is legal, I have a Honda 2000 to run an A/C and heater and all other electrical loads.