Anti Idle Advice

I have no doubt that more than a trucker or two may have died due to heat stroke. That's one that might be a bit harder to control, like say in Laredo in mid summer with high humidity to go with temperatures over 100 and light or no wind. Then idling would be prudent, but even during my stays in Laredo during midday sleeping in the mid to high 90's I did fine. It may be that truckers that die may have been idling and their truck turned off with all the windows shut, or perhaps truck models with limited insulation.

Cold is really not that much of a danger if you have warm gear.

It just seems to me that perhaps there's a generation of truckers coming along that haven't slept a night without AC in their lives, so they feel compelled to continue the practice in a truck. Maybe since I've spent so much time sleeping outdoors for fun I look forward to having a nice comfortable truck that provides insulation and shade, it's perspective from a viewpoint that I know I'm capable of surviving and thriving without AC or a heater running nonstop.

 

O/O's and trucking companies should care. The cost for idling can reach up to $2000 per month, depending on your total idle time and gallons per hour your engine consumes. That's up to $24K per year. Not a bad raise for an O/O that takes a "risk" and tries sleeping with fresh air for a change.

 

I will say one thing about creating a more comfortable (AC and heat) environment for truckers that would certainly satisfy a lot of environmental and cost issues: why don't trucks have solar panels installed? That would seem to be a no brainer, there's lots of surface area that could create a continuous daytime source of electricity to power an AC unit. With added batteries it would be a real boost to comfort without running the engine and burning fuel, and would be much quieter. I remember an all electric car that had solar panels embedded in the roof that were dedicated to running AC, so the car was already precooled when you got in it and didn't need to use the batteries for cooling or heating and expanded the range it could be driven. Put solar panels on that broad area above the windshield and you'd have plenty of juice for running AC or heat.

 

Being in a tent or under a shade tree with a breeze and it's 100 is one thing, being in a radiant capturing can with with little cross breeze in phoenix when it's 112 degrees is dangerously hot. I guess you'll figure it out when you figure it out. Enjoy sleeping in your sleeping bag and waking up with frost inside your sleeper and with every type of cold and sore throat/cough symptom known to man this winter.

 

I'm not on a camping trip, I'm at work and/or trying sleep good so I can do another 14 HR day.

If you can't sleep well, then you are a danger to yourself and the motoring public.

I don't think it is too much to ask for a few creature comforts for someone who lives in a truck weeks on end ,to make the company money.

I am a dedicated idler ,if need be!

 

I shut truck off and use a sleeping bag in the winter. it saves fuel and idling is hard on a motor. of course I own my rig but even when I was a company driver I did the same thing not because I was asked too but I believed in helping my employer succeed. he had no qualms about me idling the truck but I chose not too. I only idle my truck when it gets below 20 degerees. and happyhardcore ive never suffered health problems due to not idling

 

I can remember in late 90's at truck stops in NY about idling being illegal. I read it several times in disbelief with 17" of snow on ground and temps below zero with wind chill. I ideld that night for

 

as my dad used to say was that the invention of the ac ruined the south lol. I grew up in south Florida and even lived for a few years in central America and we didn't use ac and was just fine. now I hate the cold. im freezing when it gets below 70 degrees but I still shut my truck off even in winter and use a sleeping bag. I don't see what the big deal is. if you don't like it find a new career or find a company that allows you. all I have to say if im the employer you will work for my conditions or you wont work for me plain and simple. same with any other employer. you work for his conditions and if you don't like it go to a company that you can.