How did you get your first truck?

Bought a 1994 Freightliner FLD in 1999, Detroit 60, 13 speed after driving for a fleet owner for NAVL (North American Van Lines). If you had 6 months with the company they would let you do a lease purchase. So I went for it. If I remember right I put 1000 down but didn't have to. This was in March of 1999 and I was doing household goods. Made so much money I paid the truck off and then after 6 months I quit, sold my truck and went to work for Watkins LTL. What a mistake that was! Never made that much money in my life! Wasn't fun work though. I liked the high value products loads better.

 

I was buying my truck from freightliner,cedar rapids,mi,i was 1time buyer,5k down from freightliner(daimlerbank),was a easy deal,now my truck is payoff

 

I think I might have seen you, maybe a couple of times on 65 just below the TN line, in the morning? Always heard good things about how well Wal Mart maintains their trucks. They are always priced reallyt good if you shop. These newer ones all have APU's and Wal Mart has a strict idling policy they want zero percent idle time... Lot's of life left in a well maintained truck that's never been idled.. ..of course the turbo might need replacing if it didn't get properly cooled down to excess, but still... turbos are cheap..

 

There's a limit to that idling too.

It's hard on starters, flywheels and batteries to sit there and start a truck 5 times to couple a trailer up. I've seen it done.

 

Those parts are cheap and it would take many of them to fail in the course of a year's time to make the fuel saved not worth it. I doubt very seriously that happens.

 

You willing to start your truck 5 times to hook up to a trailer once?

 

No way.. But seriously if no idling improves fuel 1mpg that's what about $10k extra cash a year? No way they burn thru that many starters..

 

I pull in to a truck stop, I shut my truck down as soon as reasonable. I idle more to air up my system after dock time than anything. That's where I see my idle time.

It's not just about "spending money on the parts". What's the labor cost to put those parts in? (yours or a shop) What's the down time on the equipment to put those parts in?

But to shut your truck down when it's needed for times like hooking up a trailer is just wrong. There are other places to focus on saving idle time.

Do you at least run a bunk heater? I just spent $830 to replace my Espar because I considered it critical to limit idle time. That will be paid back in full by the end of January in saved idle time. I saw an extra $120 in fuel cost just going to Texas and back two weeks ago when it failed. That was from Tuesday, Weds and Thurs nights.


How many guys go in and leave a truck idle for 30 minutes when they get something to eat? Why? You'll have a warmer engine if you just let it heat soak during that time when you come out.

I reset my idle time clock each time I leave the house. It's normally less than 2 hours on it when I come home 2 weeks later. Like I said, it's mostly from airing up again AFTER I load / unload my trailers or get up in the morning to leave.

 

I didn't mention labor or time. That goes without saying. Still never going to wear out enough of those parts even shutting down to an extreme like that... do they really take it to that extreme? If it cost more in parts/labor Wal Mart would know it...

No I don't run a bunk heater. I have military surplus wool blankets for the winter and open windows in the summer. El cheapo auxiliary heat & air.

 

I have had 3 nights where temps hit 0 this last week. At those temps, it becomes a time I am glad I have bunk heater. After camping in a canvas tent for 10 days in -10 temps in Germany, I will enjoy a little creature comfort.


The point is,

Don't idle, but people have to use "common" sense when it comes to it. Shutting down 5 times to unhook/hook up a trailer is silly. It's unneeded wear and tear on a truck. Argue it anyway you want, even if you want to say you'll never spend enough on starters to stop it.

I had two former co-workers that would do just that. I mentioned it to the mechanic in the shop and he just shook his head.