Fleet Notes
Robert Taylor, Director of Maintenance
James H. Clark & Son, Salt Lake City
The company runs 155 sleeper-equipped tractors, mostly Kenworths and some Freightliners. They haul frozen food products in 48 states. Taylor says that Clark tried to order a factory-installed auxiliary power system about 1-1/2 years ago, but the truck builder said it couldn't install it. So after the trucks were delivered, company mechanics installed RigMaster units on all but one truck. That one has a Pro-Heat system as a test unit.
Rigmaster APUs supply 110-volt power to heating and air conditioning systems, as well as other amenities in the sleeper including refrigerators, coffee pots and TVs. The idea was to reduce idle time and fuel consumption, and that's what's happened.
"A particular truck, and it depends on the driver, he'll average at least 30% idle time," Taylor says. "With some drivers, idle time ran as much as 50%. With the addition of the generator sets, idle time has been cut to 8%." With the higher cost of diesel fuel, he says the payback time is now about 24-26 months. Clark trades in its tractors about every four years.
"More and more of the states are getting on this idle time for trucks because of emissions," Taylor says. "Our main concern was and is fuel savings."
A growing number of states are adopting anti-idling ordinances and stiffer fines to control "noise pollution." Driver retention is another matter that the APUs address.
Jeff Pence, Vice President
Appalachian Freight Carriers, Edinburg, Va.
The company operates 36 Macks hauling poultry, beer and food products, "running the Northeast real heavy."
Pence says he doesn't think Mack offers an optional HVAC system. So to cut idle time, and still keep his drivers warm and toasty during rest periods, he installs Webasto auxiliary heating systems in his Class 8s. These do an adequate job of heating the unit.
With the dashboard-mounted control, a driver can set the temperature he wants. The heaters, which work much like a hot air furnace, burn as little as a gallon of diesel fuel over a 20-hour period, Pence says.
An APU to run air conditioning would be "very expensive" when the fleet's operating area is considered, Pence thinks. "If you really stop and think about it, you really only have to run your air conditioner three or four months out of the year. You have a few months in the spring and fall where you don't need anything," and from October to March, and even part of April, you have to heat.
The company runs a satellite communication system on its trucks, "so we know if they're idling or not and I have really good control on that."
Paul Schultz, Vice President of Maintenance
Beneto Truck Lines, West Sacramento, Calif.
Beneto runs 220 Freightliners in a tanker operation hauling petroleum. All but about 10 are daycabs, and the few sleepers are 60-inch flat-tops.
"We just order their standard HVAC system, which is separated from the sleeper to the front cab," he says. "There's a control for the sleeper and a control for out in the front," Schultz says. He does not spec an auxiliary heater or air conditioning system.
Don Sperie, Director of Maintenance
Midwest Motor Express, Inc., Saint Paul, Minn.
The company runs 97 line haul Class 8s (mostly tandem axle) and 65 city units (single axle). It's a mix of Freightliners and Volvos (two with sleepers), Sperie said.
Midwest is an LTL carrier, which is pickup and delivery in town and over the road. Sperie said that no auxiliary heaters or air conditioning units are added. They simply order the standard HVAC system and "it's adequate."
Danny Clay, Director of Maintenance
Ready Trucking, Inc., Ellenwood, Ga.
Ready Trucking operates about 125 Freightliners and International tractors, all but two of which have sleepers. They haul for several major accounts including Clorox, National Envelope and Nabisco.
All of the trucks have satellite communications systems, and the standard HVAC systems. Clay does not have any auxiliary heating or cooling systems.
