The ever-changing ours of service regulations now require drivers to spend longer periods in their cabs and sleepers, and they cannot be expected to freeze or bake just because some people want them to shut off their engines to reduce pollution and save fuel.
Unless you’ve been in hibernation for the last several years, you’re well aware that fuel prices have been setting new records on a regular schedule and there doesn’t seem to be any relief on the way.
The issue of truck idling has been a common topic in the trucking press for a number of years and it has come to the attention of the general public as well.
With a growing number of communities nationwide enacting anti-idling legislation, idling has the potential to hit the owner-operator and driver in the pocket through fines as well as fuel costs.
The ever-changing ours of service regulations now require drivers to spend longer periods in their cabs and sleepers, and they cannot be expected to freeze or bake just because some people want them to shut off their engines to reduce pollution and save fuel.
The experts who study this kind of thing estimate that US OTR Class 7 and Class 8 trucks typically idle their motors for between 1,800 and 2,600 hours per truck annually. The figures could be even higher for the O/O’s in expediting because of the typically extended layover times waiting for a load.
Another group of experts,The Technology & Maintenance Council, says that one hour of a truck’s idle time equals seven road miles. Using their formula, that means that if a truck idles eight hours per day for 325 days of the year, it runs the maintenance equivalent of 18,000 miles and burns about 2,340 gallons of diesel (at 1.3 gallons per hour).
It’s no secret that idling is dirty and noisy as well. The idling motor that’s burning all that fuel (and money) will also be putting tons of pollutants into the air every year including carbon dioxide,carbon monoxide and nitrous oxides. That’s bad for the drivers, bad for everyone.
What’s the alternative?
Actually, there are a few different technologies available. Some have been around for a number of years, others are fairly new. While there are advantages and disadvantages with each of these systems, they all have an edge over idling.
“Actually, there are a number of no-idle options on the market, it’s just a matter of what is the most cost-effective method for you,”says Ray Lawrence, owner of Espar of Michigan in Romulus, Michigan. Lawrence has been in the business of providing anti-idling technology to owner-operators since 1989 and his company offers a “one-stop” type of service for those who wish to shut that motor down.
A more recent technology that is gaining increased acceptance is the 12-volt battery system that eliminates idling of any motor, large or small. “We offer two different systems that don’t use any fuel at all. One of these is the DC Airco system that uses multiple 6-volt batteries that when wired together, provide 12 volts of power.
Mounted in a battery box on a frame rail under the truck,these batteries are isolated from the truck’s main battery and when the engine is shut down, those batteries provide the power for a rooftop-mounted air conditioner (two models available).
Lawrence tells of a customer who has Dodge Sprinter van with the DC Airco systems installed: “This man has had his system for three years now and is still using the original batteries. He tells us that he can get 8-10 hours of running time on a full battery charge. There’s quite of bit of area to cool in a Sprinter van, so about an hour before he gets to his destination, he turns on the DC Airco to help pre-cool the van.”
Price: around $5,200.00 installed
Another battery system that Lawrence offers is the NITE system, or No-Idle Thermal Environment System. It’s driven by the NITE rechargeable power source, which incorporates a deep cycle battery system that operates up to 10 hours between charges.
The air conditioning system keeps the sleeper area at 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit when the outside temperature is 90-plus degrees Fahrenheit. In cold weather, the NITE heating system keeps the sleeper compartment continuously warm all night.
Price: around $3,999.00 Installed (with heater, add $1,000.00) For an upgraded system with two extra batteries add $600.00
Fuel-fired Heater
One of the oldest technology alternatives to idling, fuel-fired heaters are very fuel-efficient in comparison to idling the truck’s motor, often at ratios of 20-1 or better. These devices can be used to heat both the cab/sleeper and the engine or just one or the other.
Espar of Michigan offers two models of heaters, the Espar Airtronic D2 and the Airtronic D4. These are designed for applications such as cab and sleeper heating. This Air Heater cycles quietly through four heat levels to maintain a desired comfort setting without idling the engine.
Available in both gasoline and diesel-fired formats, these devices are activated by a thermostat or rheostat switch which cycles the heater through it’s various heat levels called for by the operator.
Price: D2 around $1,500.00 installed
Price: D4 around $1,900.00 installed
Generators
The “traditional” no-idling solution is the venerable generator or genset. Espar of Michigan is an authorized dealer/installer for the Canadian-manufactured Rigmaster Power generator.
RigMaster Power is a complete stand-alone generator set that runs all night on what an idling truck engine burns in two hours. It provides 120 volt “house current”, a 60 amp DC alternator to charge the truck’s batteries and an automatic climate control system with controls in the cab.
It’s powered by a 2-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine, which has its own radiator running independently of the truck’s existing system. As a stand-alone system, it does not share the truck’s coolant or freon system and will not affect the OEM truck warranty.
Price:around $7,500.00 installed
Ray Lawrence says that any of the systems he offers can be installed within a day and a half.
He adds, “More than just saving money and getting a return on investment very quickly, there is a human element – a comfort issue. All of these products are going to make the driver more comfortable; he’s going to rest better and improve the quality of his life.”
“As far as the big picture of idle reduction, these issues are not going away. Although they’re electrifying some of the truck stops, that’s not the whole answer. All of the products that we offer are proven technology from companies with stellar reputations.”
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