Would you take a job as a new driver that wants you to pay for APU and/or Inverter?

As a newer CDL driver, some of the jobs I have looked at that I can qualify for says that you have the option to add an APU and/or Inverter on your dime. This seems troubling to me if they are offering it, why it's on your dime.

Is that something standard or acceptable?

I personally don't want to pay money out of my own pocket to add equipment to a company's truck that I am not going to be coming home with that equipment, and further won't have a need for it later.

I would venture to guess if they don't have inverter's already installed, that also means they won't have microwaves and refrigerators, and for me, I am not willing to buy all that stuff myself to go OTR for anyone. If something goes wrong down the line, and the truck needs to be dropped back off in another state and I am flying home or something, I am not getting that equipment home with me and that's not worth it to me.

It also seems that if they are not willing to provide that stuff for you to live in their truck, then anything else cost related will be a problem down the road in dealing with them.

Am I wrong for thinking this way?

What are your thoughts on this topic?

 

If company is telling you that they want you to pay for apu’s or inverters, i’d find another company..many fleets have those convenience items on their trucks and don’t charge you.

 

Thank you. That's kind of what I was thinking too.

 

I have no problem bringing my own refrigerator, but the APU and inverter are absolutely a requirement for the company to provide.

 

Don't fall for that BS. Sounds like some shady Western Express crap.

 

What you are asking about is rare and unusual. I've never heard of it before now. As a newbie to trucking you should only consider working as a W-2 employee or company driver. As such you should not pay for any permanently affixed machinery for the truck. After you pay for an APU, you are not likely going to be paid back for that purchase when you leave the company or the truck is sold. Adding an APU to a commercial truck increases the value of that truck to the company.

If the company allows you to idle the truck as much as you like to remain comfortable, there is no need for an APU, although there is less ability to power something like a microwave or power-inverter. If your electrical needs are more along the line of powering a laptop, recharging a cellphone, recharging an electric razor or toothbrush, you can get along with the small plug-in power inverter with a 300 watt or less capacity. Those inverter cost about $20-$50.

 

Sometimes we must sacrifice for the greater good. Your first few years you will have to sacrifice in order to progress in your career.
There are two ways to do this job.
One is to road trip. Stop for everything from food to water and bathroom.
The other is to make the truck your home.
A fridge and inverter are relatively recent additions to a truck and I would not want to be without them.
I recently put an application in and called up recruiting, when they told me they will get me a bus ticket first red flag, no inverter second red flag, no fridge third strike. I told them no thanks. They called me back and said they will reimburse for a car rental, inverter and truck stop plug in cooler.
I still said no because it is an indication of what they think about drivers.
Now I can do that because I have a clean license and several years experience.
Remember it's not just tickets and accidents that ruin your career it's bad equipment too.

 

RUN AWAY!!!!!!!!!! It doesn't matter how long you've been driving, an inverter is part of the minimum package all trucks should have. You're going to be living in a metal box without plumbing, the least they can do is provide electricity.

 

Add an APU at the discounted price of 8 grand. ..HA.
They'll take it out of your check weekly...
They want you to pay for rubber usage on the tires too?

 

Now that I've had more time to think about, not only would I advise you to stay away from that company, I would also suggest that you don't do OTR, at least not at first. Find something regional. Most regional accounts will actually count as OTR when you apply for another job, provided you drive through at least 4 or 5 states and don't go home every other night.

Find something that lets you go home every 7-10 days and keeps you in the quarter of the country you live in. You can choose to stay out longer if you want, and you can switch to OTR later if you want to venture out further. But give yourself time to see if the company is a good fit for you before you let them send you to the other side of the country.

Again, regional won't make you go home every week, but at least it allows for it and keeps you close enough to home for it to be practical. Others will tell you to go OTR, and maybe it worked for them, but there's a reason why most drivers quit in their first year. Don't let OTR chew you up and spit you out like it does most drivers. Stay in control by staying closer to home, at least at first.