[Cluggy619]

Originally Posted by Sheepdancer

We have started putting APUs in many of our trucks....however if most of our trucks get them, the drivers idle time bonus will most likely go away. Many of our drivers love that bonus.

Well, there you go. I guess some drivers like the heat. Some don't.

[allan5oh]

There's a lot more to better fuel mileage then just idling.

[Cluggy619]

Originally Posted by allan5oh

There's a lot more to better fuel mileage then just idling.

Yes there is. But you can't tell those who drive their chair to the desk about driving properly to save on fuel. Some companies do not allow the driving games on the computers anymore. :P

[Drew10]

When I don't get my breakdown/layover pay, I am not a happy camper to say the least. Do you think i'm going to give any consideration to not idling your truck at questionable times to save YOU money when you won't even pay me the money that YOU owe me?

Idling for spite is not a reason to idle. I suspect even if you were getting your Detention/Layover pay, when deserved, you would still be idling to stay comfortable.

Why don't you geniuses devise some clever type of fuel-saving bonus program?

I didnt realize that Swift didnt have a fuel bonus, most companies do. Another negative for Swift. (Come on Swift get with the program!!)

our terminal managers have been spamming our qualcomms every morning with messages regarding truck idle time and fuel efficiency, and how we (the drivers) are not meeting company goals.

My company has the same problem with idling trucks, but they sure dont go around "Spaming" the qualcomm telling drivers to "we are not meeting company goals"

APUs should be on all trucks, (that would help freeup the spots Idleair is wasting, put them outta bizz even quicker), but to convert a fleet of trucks to APU will take a long time.

[LennyD]

Quote:
Why is Swift not installing APU's on any of their new trucks?


Because a $75 million dollar bill is a pretty insurmountable item.

Just a guess.

Truthfully, most of the big companies are looking into it with all the idling laws and higher cost of fuel. But it's not something that happens overnight and an expenditure that large is going to take a whole lot of consideration.

Twilight,

I'm not asking why they aren't immediately making APU's priority #1 for ALL trucks. I'm asking why they aren't putting them on ANY trucks?

Honestly, I don't know a whole lot about APU's... but aren't most of the models proven to pay for themsleves in less than 2 years?

Wouldn't you think that a company so concerned with their fuel overhead would already be in game in at least some regard? Maybe 1/10th of new trucks?

[Colts Fan]

How much would it cost to purchase your own APU? If you installed your own and your company has a fuel efficiency bonus, wouldn't it pay for itself pretty quickly (depending on the cost of the APU of course)?

[LennyD]

Drew10

Many drivers will leave their company truck idling during daybreaks to avoid the 110+ degree oven when they come back.

Do I idle my truck when i'm not in it, stopped for a break, and don't want to come back to a sauna? It depends.

If i'm being nagged by a daily company-wide spam about the company's slimmer profit margin... I'm going to lean a little more towards just letting the truck run.

[Drew10]

Lenny I do the same thing, if its that hot out Ill just leave the truck run if im out of it for a period of time. Or Ill shut it off and go start it and crack up the air, and leave it for 15min or so, before I return.

Companies would love to have APUs on their trucks, but the cost+the down time is to much to bare to convert trucks in bulk. It will be a processes.

What I dont get, is why the companies arent having them installed as an option when they buy the trucks new, they could probably get a good deal on them in bulk, and the truck wouldnt be absorbing "down time", then, whatever the turnover rate is for trucks in the company would be how long before they are all APU's

Im all for the APU's, If the majority of the trucks had APU's Idle-air would be history

[Uturn2001]

Originally Posted by Colts Fan

How much would it cost to purchase your own APU? If you installed your own and your company has a fuel efficiency bonus, wouldn't it pay for itself pretty quickly (depending on the cost of the APU of course)?

If it is a company truck you could very easily be fired for making modifications to the equipment. Besides that it would take one heck of a fuel bonus to pay off a 7-$8000+ APU.

[Colts Fan]

If it is a company truck you could very easily be fired for making modifications to the equipment. Besides that it would take one heck of a fuel bonus to pay off a 7-$8000+ APU.

Dayuum... didn't know how expensive they were. ops: