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yoopr · Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 12865

warm blanky, theres no need to idle in the winter

Oh really
But back to the Thread-I idled between 900-1000 RPM's

Nighttrain71 · Joined: 15 Mar 2005 Posts: 233 Location: Wisconsin

freebird wrote: Nighttrain71 wrote: Since I don't pay for fuel, and don't get a fuel bonus, the truck stays on and I stay comfortable. :D

I wonder what the company pays for fuel annually?
And what effect that has on your pay raises? :roll:
Something to think about!

When you drive percentage, the only thing that can effect your wage rate is prevailing freight rates. In theory, increased fuel costs would cut into the companies profit per load, thus prompting them to seek out higher paying freight, thus increasing my wages. Of course, theory and reality are not always the same animal.

Nighttrain71 · Joined: 15 Mar 2005 Posts: 233 Location: Wisconsin

To those who say not to idle, specifically those who drive company trucks, I have a question. Do you also refuse to use your A/C and Heat when you are at home? I mean, at the very least doing so at home would cause a money savings for you. Doing so in a company truck only saves money for the company, money they aren't likely to share with you. I fail to see the benefit of such an activity.

RoadRunner9501 · Joined: 02 Jun 2005 Posts: 793 Location: VA Beach, VA

Nighttrain71 wrote: To those who say not to idle, specifically those who drive company trucks, I have a question. Do you also refuse to use your A/C and Heat when you are at home? I mean, at the very least doing so at home would cause a money savings for you. Doing so in a company truck only saves money for the company, money they aren't likely to share with you. I fail to see the benefit of such an activity. ever heard of fuel bonus??...u use less, they give u a bonus...duh!

Nighttrain71 · Joined: 15 Mar 2005 Posts: 233 Location: Wisconsin

RoadRunner9501 wrote: Nighttrain71 wrote: To those who say not to idle, specifically those who drive company trucks, I have a question. Do you also refuse to use your A/C and Heat when you are at home? I mean, at the very least doing so at home would cause a money savings for you. Doing so in a company truck only saves money for the company, money they aren't likely to share with you. I fail to see the benefit of such an activity. ever heard of fuel bonus??...u use less, they give u a bonus...duh!

I'll offer you a few mathematical concepts here

first, what is your maximum fuel bonus? compare that to your actual fuel savings. Now tell me the company is letting you in on a fair share of the money saved. You sweat, you freeze, you get a stipend.

Next, take your actual maximum fuel bonus and divide it by twelve. Now you have your bonus on a monthly basis (in most cases it is less tahn 100 bucks, often less than 50.) Now ask yourself "what is my health and comfort worth to me?" If you've come to the conclusion that your health and comfort are worth less than 50 bucks a month, seek psychiatric help.

BTW, if you'd asked around you would know that in most major companies you will, no matter what you do, end up just short of earning a fuel bonus. Thinking you'll make money on a fuel bonus is about like thinking you'll win the lottery. Me, I'm not interested in driving for a company that has to jerk around with fuel bonuses, mileage bonuses, safety bonuses, etc, etc, etc. Either lay the cards on the table and tell me exactly what you're paying or I'll drive for someone else. Being your locked in with Swift, I don't expect you to understand that concept. If you did, you'd be signing on with someone else.

Tango Yankee · Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 68 Location: Lucasville, OH

RoadRunner9501 wrote: ever heard of fuel bonus??...u use less, they give u a bonus...duh!

RR, if you had read the entire thread you would have seen Nighttrain's comment that he doesn't get one--he said so when he politely answered one of your questions. In fact, he politely answered more than one of your questions--and you respond with sarcasm.

Still, I'll give my own opinion. My understanding from school instructors and other drivers is that fuel bonuses (when offered) can be difficult to earn. Personally, I'd rather be comfortable than worry about getting the little bit extra a bonus MIGHT get me.

Good luck at Swift. While waiting to go home from orientation at Roehl my roommate told me an experienced driver that was also going through orientation had an attitude similar to yours--basically told the instructors that he would do what he wanted, even if it went against policy or regs (specifically, if he was out of hours but close to home, he'd keep driving to get home.) Apparently he made other comments that were based on arrogance and a mistaken belief that he knew it all after driving for a year. After the day ended everyone else wound up waiting on him because he was called into the office and reamed for half an hour. That reminds me... I ought to call Rick to find out whether or not that guy made it through orientation. Remember, Attitude is Everything!

Cheers,
Tango

Bush Bunny · Joined: 02 Jun 2005 Posts: 1528

yoopr wrote: warm blanky, theres no need to idle in the winter

Oh really
But back to the Thread-I idled between 900-1000 RPM's

Next winter we will be able to try out that Espar System that is on the new truck. I'll let you know how it goes yoopr. :wink:

RoadRunner9501 · Joined: 02 Jun 2005 Posts: 793 Location: VA Beach, VA

Tango Yankee wrote: RoadRunner9501 wrote: ever heard of fuel bonus??...u use less, they give u a bonus...duh!

RR, if you had read the entire thread you would have seen Nighttrain's comment that he doesn't get one--he said so when he politely answered one of your questions. In fact, he politely answered more than one of your questions--and you respond with sarcasm.

Still, I'll give my own opinion. My understanding from school instructors and other drivers is that fuel bonuses (when offered) can be difficult to earn. Personally, I'd rather be comfortable than worry about getting the little bit extra a bonus MIGHT get me.

Good luck at Swift. While waiting to go home from orientation at Roehl my roommate told me an experienced driver that was also going through orientation had an attitude similar to yours--basically told the instructors that he would do what he wanted, even if it went against policy or regs (specifically, if he was out of hours but close to home, he'd keep driving to get home.) Apparently he made other comments that were based on arrogance and a mistaken belief that he knew it all after driving for a year. After the day ended everyone else wound up waiting on him because he was called into the office and reamed for half an hour. That reminds me... I ought to call Rick to find out whether or not that guy made it through orientation. Remember, Attitude is Everything!

Cheers,
Tango thanks, i'll keep your kinda words in consideration...thats for the heads up!

yoopr · Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 12865

Bush Bunny wrote: yoopr wrote: warm blanky, theres no need to idle in the winter

Oh really
But back to the Thread-I idled between 900-1000 RPM's

Next winter we will be able to try out that Espar System that is on the new truck. I'll let you know how it goes yoopr. :wink:

I KNOW how it'll go-I had it once and You'll LOVE it
Most perfect heat in a bunk i've EVER had-Not too hot-not too cold-just right

Malaki86 · Joined: 28 Aug 2004 Posts: 2129 Location: West Virginia

USXpress doesn't have a 'normal' fuel bonus. If the trucks average over 7mpg, they turn the trucks up 5mph. However, they base it on the overall average that the truck has achieved.

So, if you're assigned a truck with 300,000 miles on it, with an average of 6.5mpg, it'll take about 300,000 more miles @ 7.6mpg to gain that magical 7.0.

So, I idle unless it's too hot/cold.

As far as idling up, the KW I used to run with the Cat, if it wasn't idled up, you might as well plan on dumping a gallon of oil into the engine before you move in the morning, as well as watching the big grey clouds of smoke come from the exhaust when you start out in the morning.

yoopr · Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 12865

So, I idle unless it's too hot/cold

huh?

Colin · Joined: 19 Jan 2005 Posts: 1421 Location: Kennewick, WA

The idle bonuses I've seen are in the range of $40-80 per month. I'm sorry, but that's ridiculous. If the bonus had ever hit $750 a month, I would have considered suffering for the cash.

Companies that keep track of idle don't differentiate between parked and idling or sitting at a traffic light or in stop and go traffic and idling. Think about how much time you spend stopped in traffic or at lights during a week. Especially if you run short loads. It's not a few seconds per day and the idle bonus just keeps getting harder to get the longer you sit while not sleeping.

SMALLFRY1985 · Joined: 18 Sep 2005 Posts: 30 Location: TEXAS

Just wandering,is it Monday yet :wink:

Roadhog · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:16 am Post subject:

:D Depends............how far U from The Lone Star?? :D

uuuuph...sorry....yer breakin' up........*

Better find a place to turn around.....we're all back this a' way. :lol:

Uncle Fester · Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 12:13 am Post subject:

I use to do that no-idling fuel bonus stuff, and nearly got frostbite on my toes for a lousy .03cpm which brought me up to the princely sum of .26cpm in the mid-90's.

If your idle time is extreamly high, like over 50% they might say something, but even if they do, don't worry about it.

Sleep, COMFORTABLE, RESTFUL sleep is just as much a need as diesel, food and air.

I cannot stand it when people who sit in air conditoned offices, drive in air conditoned care to air conditoned homes expect you to sweat to death for the sake of the bottom line.

When I was at KLLM, I took the Vice President of M.I.S. (Media and Information Services) out for a week and our second run was to Dayton, Texas and delivered at Sam's Club at 0'dark-thirty on a hot, muggy summer night.
Since I had the window screens in, it was letting all the super-heated air into the cab from the trucks next to us that had their motors turning.

This guy was in the top bunk (heat rises), sweating like a hooker in church!
The next day, he asked me how we could possibly sleep in conditions like the ones I subjected him to suffering?

I said, you'll pay for the reefer fuel to keep a load cool, but not for me to get a decent nights sleep.
We get these dictates from people in offices that are climate controled along with the DUMBEST suggestions on how to keep the truck cool in the summer or warm in the winter that never work.
If you treated prisoners like this, the ACLU would go ballistic and yet it's perfectly acceptable for corporate to insist that those who generate the revenue that powers this comapny to suffer in conditions that rapists and murders aren't subjected to enduring.
I do the best I can do under the circumstances when I'm given the option of making a lower wage, or suffering a little to earn someting extra.

I would ask you, how do YOU sleep at night?

The fuel bonus program fell by the wayside not too long thereafter and I stay comfortable, although I do hook up to Idle-Aire whenever I can and don't idle "stupid" except in the summer, my cat would die from heat stroke.

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