CA idling

[Soladad]

Just wondering how CA runners are planning to keep cool this summer with California only allowing 5 min idle times and APU's in question.

[all18wheels]

i plan on dying of heat stroke and having my wife sue the state and have the law overturned.

[Malaki86]

I plan on never taking a truck into Cali. Solves that problem.

[bigtimba]

. . first hand experience with enforcement? I'm guessing, in the absence of a specific complaint form Nitwit Citizen, the cops will leave us alone.

I don't spend too much time in Phoenix but I'm there often enough to know they don't enforce their ordinance yet they have signs posted everywhere.

[Uturn2001]

You have to watch out for certain towns in CA. There is and has been a couple of LEO's in the Barstow area that seem to have nothing better to do than go around and harass truckers.

You also need to watch idleaire employees. Some of these idiots have been known to call the cops and report idling violators and then come up and make their sales pitch after you get a ticket.

[Orangetxguy]

Fresno is another town, where they don't seem to have anything better to do, than enforcing idle laws. In 04, when they first posted their idle-law, I saw Fresno PD cars idling around the parking lot at Kleins, counting the number of idling trucks, then they would come back an hour later and right tickets to those still idling.

[TomB985]

Soladad, you may be interested to know that Roehl is starting to put APUs on many of their tractors...seems the entire industry is moving that way slowly.....

[Malaki86]

That helps except for the fact that there are NO APU's that meet the CARB standards.

[TomB985]

Wow...I didn't know there were none availible...

I have an idea!!!

Get a rope, tie it around the steering wheel to hold the wheel hard left or right, set the truck in first gear, and idle away! You won't be "idling"...you'll be moving...... :twisted:

[matcat]

Wow...I didn't know there were none availible...

I have an idea!!!

Get a rope, tie it around the steering wheel to hold the wheel hard left or right, set the truck in first gear, and idle away! You won't be "idling"...you'll be moving...... :twisted:

There ya go, just find a big open lot and let the truck circle :P
I would like to see how lot lizards would tackle that one too Multiple uses and benefits

[Soladad]

TomB985-thanks for the info but I am no longer with Roehl. Had to make a move to the PNW earlier this year due to family. Since Roehl has no ties in the PNW, I am having to look to another company. The route is covering CA (shudder) along with WA, OR, AZ, NM and NV but I need to get back to work. A lot of freight runs to CA from WA and OR. So far I have not heard any of my friends that still run for Roehl being offered APU's. Had a job that would run me WA, OR, ID and MT but I have a hang up getting my Hazmat (finger prints are worn and unreadable which means a name search which will take longer).

The company I am looking at does not offer APU's. I think Idle-Aire is a big rip off if all you need is air. Not to mention how much space Idle Aire takes up in a truck stop when there is already a parking shortage.

[TomB985]

Yeah, I didn't think it mattered that much...I just remember you saying something awhile ago about being upset about the company not giving you a raise because of idle times...

Not very many have them yet, I had to ask about it and bug my dispatcher, but I was lucky enough to be on their list while I was up at Marshfield. Apparently they bought 150 thermo king tripac units, but supposedly they are going to keep buying them if they work well...

Got mine installed a week and a half ago...

There ya go, just find a big open lot and let the truck circle
I would like to see how lot lizards would tackle that one too Multiple uses and benefits

Good point! Only the ones who are in good shape would make it to your door, and the rest would be run down! :P

[Soladad]

TomB895...glad to hear that you got an APU. Yes, I was unhappy with them over no raise but it was still a job and paying bills. However, before I could do anything about the raise issue and find another company, I had to bail out to move to PNW to help with my father that has Alzhemier's. Not having much luck finding a new company out here. Either I have to lump freight or be gone for extended periods of time. I miss the flexibility of hometime fleets that Roehl has. Wish more companies would offer 7/7 or 7/4-7/3.

[Uturn2001]

That helps except for the fact that there are NO APU's that meet the CARB standards.

That is correct, however:

Using an APU in California is a yes/no deal. If your truck's engine was made before 2007 then you can use any of the APU's on the market. If the truck's engine is 07 or newer then you are currently SOL.

[Orangetxguy]

TomB895...glad to hear that you got an APU. Yes, I was unhappy with them over no raise but it was still a job and paying bills. However, before I could do anything about the raise issue and find another company, I had to bail out to move to PNW to help with my father that has Alzhemier's. Not having much luck finding a new company out here. Either I have to lump freight or be gone for extended periods of time. I miss the flexibility of hometime fleets that Roehl has. Wish more companies would offer 7/7 or 7/4-7/3.

Soladad...have you checked out any of the flatbed companies that are up there?

Joel Olson Trucking Inc
Address: 1615 NE 78th St, Vancouver, WA 98665

or Mail Contractors;

Lanier Brugh Corp
Address: 339 N Columbia Blvd, Portland, OR 97217

or tanker companies;

Harris Transportation
Portland
3077 NW St Helens Road
Portland, OR 97210

[Soladad]

Thanks for the suggestions. Currently I am looking at JB Hunt since they have a good intermodel fleet here in Portland. Not the best pay but I need experience in that line of driving then might be able to make a move down the line to better pay. I just want to stay out of CA for a variety of reasons starting with the idle issue. My truck is my home on the road. Bad enough that the companies have to restrict idling due to fuel costs but I want to have a solid night sleep when it is hot. Makes for nicer work days when one is awake and alert. :shock:

[kc0iv]

The company I am looking at does not offer APU's. I think Idle-Aire is a big rip off if all you need is air. Not to mention how much space Idle Aire takes up in a truck stop when there is already a parking shortage.

Looking at http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/Ap...rowing-losses/ it appears IdleAire won't be around much longer.

kc0iv

[Orangetxguy]

The company I am looking at does not offer APU's. I think Idle-Aire is a big rip off if all you need is air. Not to mention how much space Idle Aire takes up in a truck stop when there is already a parking shortage.

Looking at http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/Ap...rowing-losses/ it appears IdleAire won't be around much longer.

kc0iv

A truck idling at 700 rpm over the course of a 10 hour stop will burn about 7 gallons of fuel. That cost's $27.93 @ $3.989 per gallon. 10 hours of Idleair use is $23.45 (as a gold card member)if you buy internet access along with the heat/ac that idle is meant for. Other things it does is reduce engine wear and tear from idling, as well as it ends cab vibration caused by idling.


kcoiv.....I doubt that Idleaire will disappear.
If you stop and think about it, they have built and installed a lot of new units in the last two years. The infrastructure itself, for the system is not cheap. New construction, given that they are still operating as a private venture, is still their largest expense. Electricity for unit operation and maintenance are their largest expences after construction.

If they can get to the point where their system has market saturation, and the trucks parking at the unit's actually hook up too and use Idleaire...they will turn a profit. I would expect that Idleaire would approach the majority of the state governments, with idling laws, for financial assistance, if it came to the point of having to end operations.

[Soladad]

I understand the math. However, I don't need Idle Aire except for one thing...A/C. I have my own internet on the road, don't watch movies or TV and don't need power. I do need to keep my batteries up for my cooler (1 and sometimes 2) that supplies 11-14 days worth of food. The cooler and AC issues are my main reason for idling. Running 2 coolers at the start of a tour of duty drains batteries down. When the truck shuts down (reaches critical battery) the coolers stop and I run the risk of food spoiling. Companies are not paying drivers to use Idle Aire. I also find difficult at times to get backed out of some of the areas they have chosen to put it in. Too tight of conditions. Some other problems is that Idle Aire is not in every truck stop. In the SW where it get really hot, what is one suppose to do when there is no Idle Aire to get a good night's sleep?

[Soladad]

The article that Kc0iv gave has a few interesting points:

"The Registrant expects to report a net loss of approximately $93 million and revenues of approximately $37 million for fiscal year 2007, as compared to a $60 million net loss and revenues of $14 million for fiscal year 2006," the filing states." ($33 million in net loss in one year!)

"The company operates 138 sites in 35 states, according to information on its Web site." (That means in 15 states there is no Idle Aire)

"Although the company has steadily increased the number of sites it operates, the cost has strained IdleAire's available capital. In its most recent financial report filed with the SEC, the company said it had a deficit of $220 million."

"To reduce costs, the company earlier this year announced it was cutting 40 positions, a move expected to save $4 million a year." (Small peanuts when one has a $220 million deficit)