What is "rough" really depends on your perspective.

 
Recently, I participated in a webinar with Chris Harrington of ATBS for Team Run Smart. The subject for the webinar was on obtaining maximum fuel efficiency. We discussed many driving techniques which aids in saving fuel. Some topics included: progressive shifting, driving on rolling hills, operating in your sweet spot and idling.
 

 

This heating pad from ElectroWarmth kept me warm to temperatures as low as minus five degrees.


I want to talk today about the subject of idling a truck. Idling on average consumes approximately one gallon of fuel per hour. If you idle for a ten hour rest period, the cost to you would be in the neighborhood of $38.00. Many drivers may think it’s only costing them fuel during idle time however; it’s also wearing out an engine which is very costly to replace. Many in the trucking industry think the only alternative is to have an auxiliary power unit (APU) to stay comfortable during rest periods. I currently have one of these units on my Cascadia Evolution. This APU has definitely spoiled me over the last five years by offering the warm/cool comforts of home.


The above are just a couple of ways to provide heating and cooling in a truck. There is also a third alternative which is not often talked about. We’ll simply regard this choice as

This is the fan which kept me cool for over a decade of use.

roughing it. Prior to having the ParkSmart HVAC System, I employed the use of a 12 volt heating pad to stay comfortable when resting. The heating pad was made from a company called Electrowarmth. These bed warmers are made in the United States and have been around since 1939. I simply pinned this pad to my mattress and the heat rises up to your body. With a comforter pulled over the top of me, this was all I needed to stay warm while sleeping. The other item I used to stay cool was a high quality window fan which I purchased at “Camping World.” As long at the temperature remained below 80 degrees, I would simply turn on the fan for air flow and this kept me comfortable. I used a low voltage battery disconnect switch on the truck in order to never run the starting batteries to a level lower than what was required to start the engine.


The home I grew up in didn’t have air conditioning. We used fans in the summer months to stay cool. Therefore, using the” roughing it” method for many years seemed quite natural for me as well as inexpensive. If you don’t have the finances to purchase an APU system then using these low cost alternatives can help you save enough money to eventually make the purchase for an APU.


Today, I’m enjoying the comforts of the Cascadia Evolution with the ParkSmart HVAC System. It has spoiled me and I wouldn’t want to go back to my old ways, however I can tell you it’s a better alternative to idling the truck and much cheaper.
 

Below is my handy 12 volt powered  cooler which was the height of my luxury accomodations in the past.  I thought it was really something having room for this cooler in a 70 inch walk-in sleeper. We sure have come along way in the three decades of my trucking career . 

 


 

 

Comments (3)

Henry Albert

Henry Albert is the owner of Albert Transport, Inc., based in Statesville, NC. Before participating in the "Slice of Life" program, Albert drove a 2001 Freightliner Century Class S/Tâ„¢, and will use his Cascadia for general freight and a dry van trailer. Albert, who has been a trucker since 1983, was recognized by Overdrive as its 2007 Trucker of the Year.

Read These Next...

BUSINESS Smart

TRUCK Smart

Always Have a Plan

April 13, 2019

 
 

Great article Henry. You touched on a couple things that could lead into future articles or great Blog topics.
First, you mentioned other areas in the business that are effected by constant idling, such as Maintenance. That could be expanded to understand the true cost of the loss of Revenue caused by the down time for the extended maintenance. Or even understanding just how much of a shortened life span the engine has endured due to never turning the engine off. I would be interested to learn what the average Independent Contractor thinks this additional cost is, and if they have even considered what the shortened life span of their engine can due to their bottom line and long term business plans.
Second being the the point of your article "Roughing it". As Americans, I feel many of us have been way too spoiled for way too long. If anyone hasn't noticed, this has begun to give Americans a bad re*****tion. Who hasn't heard of Americans referred to as "Fat & lazy"? I often wonder how to help our society change some of these trends. I have actually heard people speculate the Americans have too much disposable income, causing them to feel justified in "being spoiled" or "Fat & Lazy". I don't buy it. There are plenty of people out there barley getting by that overweight, & it's not because of their over stuffed bank accounts. Personally, I do not feel I/C are over paid resulting in lots disposable income. I don't have the answer, but I feel educating ourselves and taking pride in one's work is a good start. The drivers that throw away $600+/month on wasted fuel due to Idling, have every right to do so as the CEO of their own business. The problem is, these very same people are the ones complaining that they are underpaid, or not getting the miles needed to pay their bills. Or better yet, stating they do not make enough money to pay their taxes. Most everything we encounter in life is the results of past choices we have made. Good or bad.

December 13, 2013 18:39:31 PM

We have never really "roughed it" in our over the road days. Before we owned the truck if it was to cold or to hot the truck idled as we had our dog with us and when my mom passed away we also had her dog. While I was perfectly fine with opening the windows for cool and using an extra blanket for warmth I was not ok with the dogs suffering while we were out of the truck. While we were in the truck they had their dog jackets and also sleeping beds to stay warm and I kept them clipped in the summer. When we bought our first truck the thoughts were of the generator so the truck would never have to idle for heating or cooling for our pets or for us. Both pets have since passed away and I have noticed we have a higher tolerance for cold and for heat before we make a move to turn on our generator.

November 17, 2013 8:47:55 AM

I always had a quality sleeping bag. You could stay warm well down into the 30s. That was when fuel was cheap-so was I and still am lol. There were quite a few mornings when I woke up with a cold nose. Also-in the summer I would turn up the AC in the sleeper an hour or so before I stopped.

November 17, 2013 3:54:38 AM