APUs?

Once again, if you get caught idling in a no-idle State, who's gonna pay the fine?

I know that May will reimburse most of the idling cost, however, it's still a pain in the arse to have to track it day after day, week after week in the summer time. Send it into your DM who you hope deals with it. In reality, there's really no way to track whether you are being fully covered for the idling expense unless NOTHING is missing from your check

 

Go to any Truck Stop or shipper/receiver in PA. where "NO IDLING DIESEL VEHICLES OVER 5 TONS" signs are posted everywhere, and count how many people are idling! Those laws are a joke. Hell, I was in Cali, sweating to death, trying to be obedient, until I realized EVERYONE there was idling.
The problem with idling laws/company idling policies is that they allow exemptions for COLD weather (companies don't want anything to happen to their precious trucks lol)
The problem(s) there:
most trucks have bunk heaters, so no worries
you can always put on more clothes/blankets if you are cold - the opposite cannot be done if you are too hot
FAR MORE people die every year from heat related deaths than cold!

That being said...the idle policy is not worth dying over. I'm sure you, May, your DM, and and Law Enforcement will agree!

Now as far as May not using them, due to their cost-effectiveness, I call BS, since they just bought like 100+ 2012 587 Petes, I'm pretty sure they would have gotten a helluva deal on 100+ APUs also, and the trucks will have far greater resale with them. But, alas, most truckers, especially 'entry level drivers' (a good number of May drivers) don't take care of their equipment. If the Webasto bunk heater goes bad, or gets neglected, it's only like $400 (in the volume they buy them) Just look at the huge pile of junked Webastos in the shop at Payette lol
Maintenence on a APU gets tedious and expensive, but I have got to think the engine/fuel savings/driver retention benefits are worth it.
But, my last name is NOT May, so who cares what I think! lo

 

The idling laws are a joke? Wrong! Friend of mine was at a truckstop in L.A. recently, DEQ was making the rounds handing out $$$ fines to guys who were idling in their sleep. The risk is real.

 

If it is hot outside California will allow idling if you are in the sleeper. You can not idle while sitting in the cab, but sleeping in the sleeper it is all good. Not even California wants truckers to die in the bunk. It is a safety issue. Now, if it is hot during the day then cools off at night then you cannot idle and can be fined for keeping your rig on.

 

I guess I'm confused doesn't the California clean idle sticker mean it's okay to idle? I looked up something and found that true in PA. I'm sure its been answered a million times buried in some thread.

 

TripleSober, yes, that is correct. However, UNLESS the truck is "Clean air idle" you CANNOT idle your truck beyond the 5 minute rule. Doesn't matter how hot it is. Even if your newer truck is equipped with clean aire idle more, you cannot idle within 100 feet of a residential area.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/truck-idling/truck-idling.htm

 

Good to know.

When does the 20% idle policy reset on sensor tracs? Is it every 2 weeks. I'm at 16.5% now. Just can't handle 100 degree temps without idling. So far I've been able to manage below 20 but I fear tomorrow I'll be over. Getting stuck at a shipper for the night doesn't allow many options.

 

Every two weeks...It just reset this weekend. I'm near 40% because I sat ALL weekend in ATL, in 100
weather. Then on to AL, LA, and now TX. They will help me, and most anyone else right now within reason. I usually go to sleep with it off, and sleep until I wake up sweating, then turn it on until the morning comes
It sucks, but I'm not going to PAY to be OTR. I'm out here to MAKE money

 

do you mean it will reset this weekend or it did last weekend. If it just did I didnt notice it???

Yeah I'll shut down every night even if they said I didnt need to. Most nights I wake up cold. Sticky but cold. Tonight in PA is suppose to dip to a chilly 88

 

It got to 49 last night in Livingston, MT And it is 65 right now in Bismark, ND.