Keeping cool in the truck?

Wow, Maverick is a descent company. Sounds to me like maybe he just got stuck with a bad dispatcher/manager. I would call the safety manager and explain to them the situation, I gurrantee they will be on your side.

 

Good Lord, if you are hot, idle the truck. Part of doing business.

I hear all of these horror stories, yet I work for a company that definitely monitors idle time, and have never had a problem with over idle.

And if I did, I would be gone in a heartbeat. No need to over idle, but when it's needed, it's needed.

 

OK, it really sounds like your DM is taking full advantage of your "rookie" status here. You say you have gone over his head, which is exactly what you should have done. But don't be surprised if he starts jacking you around on loads and stuff.

If you continue to have problems try to get a different DM. It would be good if you could stay with the same company for at least your first year, but it really is not worth killing yourselves over.

 

If the company will not "allow" you to idle the truck when parked for your 10, go to work for a different company.

The window lickers that run your current company should be shot, simple as that.

 

Comfort in thit business is paramount !!!!

 

As mentioned always park with the front of your truck facing away from the sun. Exspecialy if you are runing the AC. Since the part that evaporates the hot air is by the radiator of your truck, keeping that out of the sunlight will mean the AC works more effeciantly. Thus lowering your idiling GPH.

Sun reflectors are a huge bonus too. However for the roof window I sugest cardboard a couple layers thick. I have found the roof window is probly the bigest culprit for leting solar heat into the truck. And the layers of carboard create a thermal barrier much the way double pained windows work.

When using fans to keep cool the best placment is in the top bunk window. The trick is again make sure you truck is facing away from the sun and proper window shielding. find out which way the wind is blowing. Open the top window on the side of the truck that is away from the wind and place the fan blowing to the outside of the truck (heat rises so the hot air will be blown out). Now open a lower window on the side of the truck the wind is blowing against. If you have a secound fan you can place it here to help pull the colder air in if the wind is not blowing enough.

Using all of these practices you can make it feel like siting in the shade of a tree with a cool breeze coming threw.

 

My last month back in may 2011 with CRST VAN EX, the A/C would only work when the truck was moving, if the truck was stopped the A/C would blow air, but not cold or cool air. The optimizer thermostat would not set correctly, or allow the truck to restart on its own according to the temperature out side the cab. Many times the temp would climb inside the cab between 112 to 120 degrees when stopped. It was awful, and getting rest with two drivers, it just was not happening. If loads had been back to back to keep as moving, it might have worked out.

 

With fuel prices what they are, it's cheaper to get hotel room than idle. There you have a bed, shower, TV and A/C. That works for owner operators, but company drivers I guess not.