Idling, political correctness and you.

I guess some of you fellas have forgotten the hotel loads put on todays trucks. On board refrigerators, microwaves, televisions, gaming systems, lap tops, cell phone chargers, cpap machines, coffee makers, and on board computers that sap the life from batteries. I have shut my truck off in California to comply with the anti idle regs out there only to have to call for a service truck to jump start me in the morning.

Ever had a dead spot on a starter? Again better whip out that check book for a road service call.

As far as idling at a high idle it is to smooth out the truck vibrations as well as provide the engine with a normal operating temp. Too low of an idle actually does more damage to engine components than a high idle. The important thing is to keep the engine at operating temp to insure the oil pressure stays up and continually lubricates all moving parts.

For those whiners that do not want to hear my truck idle; either move or reverse your direction and nose into a parking spot instead. I will idle to get quality rest EVERY night not just some nights regardless of some ridiculous government regulation. If reefers have to run to keep food fresh then by God I will idle my truck to keep my body healthy. We are all more important than the food/products we haul.

 

Makes perfect sense. Burn fuel all night so you don't have to fix the starter, then use it as an excuse.

 

Company truck. Company fuel. Company policy not to spend money on the road when the work can be done in house.

Calculate the fuel consumed at say 3.00 per gallon for 10 hours and you get 30 bucks. Whats a starter cost? Whats a jump start cost? Whats a road service call cost? Whats it cost in lost time and revenue if you miss your sceduled appointment because the truck would not start?

I rest my case.

 

Maybe if companies offered a "low idle time" monthly cash bonus?
Carrot instead of a stick?
Say $50 (or a gift card) if you use under 5 hours a day of idle time total.

Also once in TX, I had no problem sleeping at a certain temp, but the trucks on either side of me were running and it got so hot I also had to turn on the a/c.

 

I'm installing a 120w solar panel on the back of my truck. It will proving some extra juice. I also asked the company I bought the panel from about a wind turbine. They said some kind of Toyota has them and they would look into maybe being able to install one over each head light. They will power the same batteries the panel does which will be augmented by a small Honda generator (67 dec.-not too loud). Using a dc powered RV ac/heat unit I think I just might pull off a system that will work with limited generator work. The living tree company has been very helpful with ideas. I'm having it all installed over Xmas-new year. I'll get back with ya'll if it works...and if you guys care. I'm trying because it drives me crazy to be told you can't do that...idle...live in comfort.

Tell them how we loved all that was beautiful. Cherokee Chief

 

Well said. It's futile.

 

I run my laptop,cell phone charger, tv refrigerator, interior lights and other stuff all the time...My truck will run all that stuff without idling for about 2/3 days and then start right up!

Had a starter go out once a few years ago...I got out the tools and put in a new starter right there.
I whipped out the check book for the cost of the part and installed it and got on with life.
What I never even considered doing was burning hundreds of dollars worth of fuel of the "off chance" that the starter might go out...That's just stupid!

if I MUST idle because of temperature extremes...About 850/900 RPM is fine for an idle speed...Any more than that is just unecessary.

Uhhhhh..... Yeah, OK.

 

I am amazed that you get that kind of longevity from a set of batteries without idling or charging. I ran a dorm style refrigerator in my company truck with a microwave, had the satellite radio playing overnight to block out the exterior sound and had the batteries dead within a 10 hour break.

First of all you are an owner op and call your own shots. Company drivers do not usuallly swap out parts. The company dictates how when and where repairs are to be made.

I drive a company truck. They will not provide an apu so I will idle. If they do not want me to idle then they have a choice; put me in a hotel room for the night or spend the money on an apu.

I drive a 2006 Volvo. It has a low idle set at around 600 rpms and a "high idle" which bumps up to 900. No throttle stick is necessary.

I have no sympathy for a carrier that is unwilling to provide its driver with either an APU or a hotel room for the night. I say IDLE away. Those offcie workers get to go home and enjoy heat and air conditioning. By god I am the one making the money to support their #####. I WILL be comfortable.

 

I'm an owner operator verly getting by, yet did go out and buy an apu last year. Yet every where I seem to park, another driver will pull up and park next to me and kick up his idle.
So what's a poor man like my self to do to drown out the noise??. I move and another driver will do the same.
Literally tonight I pull into a line of air docks (no idle zones) and drivers on both sides pull in and kick up their idles. I think it's just to run their parking lights since it is about 60 degress out tonight.
Can we not have any respect for each other?

 

Man I hate it too when you spend your good money to get idleair and jerks pull in next to you and dont use it for anything but a parking space even though there was parking (not in idleair) available. Why dont they at least shut it off?