IdleAire Eminent Domain?

My wife and I bought a RigMaster several years ago for our truck. The INSTALLER crossed wires, causing a fire under the bunk. The damage was NEVER repaired, and I had to have the whole truck detailed to get the caustic soda from the fire extinguisher removed. The AC never worked right. It would cause the engine to over-heat, force over 1/2 of the coolant out and then shut down. Over 18 months, NO ONE could repair the unit. (12 times to a "RigMaster" approved repair facility) Then we took it to "Mikes Truck Repair" in Upper Sandusky OH. By that time the engine as well as all AC components had failed. The unit would have to be totally rebuilt, from a NEW engine to AC compressor. RigMaster would NOT cover any of this work under warrenty, even though it had been determined that THEIR representative had inncorrectly installed the unit. Not even OOIDA would help (RigMaster was/still is an advertiser in LandLine Mag)
I would NEVER buy another RigMaster again. There are other options.

 

When they first started infiltrating all of the TA's,the salespeople were pretty aggressive but they've taken it down a few notches.I couldn't hardly get my brakes set before they would pounce on me.I would tell them that it's too much money and I can idle as much as I want.Now I treat their spaces just like any other and idle when I want.I haven't seen hardly any 'Quiet Zone-No idling' signs in a few months.I've heard reefer's that were louder than my truck at idle and it seems like there are more of those trailers than any other in Idle-aire spots.

 

YA, I bought a "FRIG-MASTER" 6 years ago, I didnt get a 500lb DEAD-WEIGHT variance form anyone. Unit NEVER worked right. NO ONE could fix it (when I actually found someone to work on it) Company wouldnt honor warrenty when we documented 15 months of complaints, OOIDA (WHO advertised a $500 rebate to members who purchased one) told us we "were on our own" when we asked THEM for help.

RE-SALE VALUE???
Indeed!

 

OOPS.....
seems I already replied to this post with an ANTI-FRIGMASTER rant.



My Bad!

 

I was there for the first time last night since it converted to Pilot from Gateway. I was amazed at how many parking spaces were lost because of Idle Aire. Not to mention they blocked off the dirt lot across the street.

With all the talk about parking being a major problem facing the trucking industry, it seems ludicrous to have this Idle Aire coming in and taking away all these parking places. I would guess that each Idle Aire spot takes two parking spaces. So you're talking about reducing the size of a parking a lot by half when Idle Aire moves in apart from the section they don't use.

 

I dont like either!! How much $$$ do the trucks stops get from having Idleaire and eliminating those parking spaces?! Face it, they dont get alot of $$ from me other than meals & snacks---I do use Idleaire's WIFI @ $1.50/hr...

 

I have seen those things at a truckstop when I was researching this job - they look creepy to me! I guess I watched too many bad sci-fi/horror movies when I was a kid. I'm afraid I'd wake up a "pod-trucker". I'm sure when it's freezing cold or burning up, I'll probably get over the willies pretty quick, though - LOL!

 

Most drivers learn not to spend a lot of money at truck stops and this has forced many out of business when they can sell their property for a goodly amount. The growth of cities has increased the demand for property where a lot of truck stops were, on the edges of the city. Some of these areas are now wealthy suburbs where property is very valuable. It just makes sense to close the truck stop and build condos or a shopping center.

But again, the driver loses. I guess the truck stops must be getting a nice payment from Idle Aire to use their lots. And as has been mentioned in the thread, it's probably subsidized and mandated by the government. So truck stops who get Idle Aire probably make more money and will have a better chance of staying in business. Kind of strange that Flyin J doesn't have any Idle Aire, none that I know of.

 

That's right, forgot about that one.