IdleAire is just an option you don't have to use their services to park in those slots the slots are still parking slots at whatever truck stop you're at ,and using IdleAire is just an option.

 

Most of the time they will. They're pretty strict on making sure you use the service while taking up a spot.

 

Im aware of the "rules" of Idleaire, but they will come around a request (ask) that you move your truck if you are not using there services. Another reason not to use idleaire. Use it for 1-2hrs then stop the service, they want you to move to a non idleaire spot, (good luck with that). IMO Idleaire is nothing more than a profit making company, interested in seperating money from the driver. In the grand scheme of things, Idleaire will hardly put a dent in any fuel savings and pollution emissions for/from trucks. Even if all Idleaire spots that are available were used everyday, the number of trucks parked (in all locations not just truckstops) in the country at any given time and location is far greater than Idleaire can hope to capture. The true Idling solution lies within the truck itself, if all trucks were equipt with APUs of some form, that is a viable solution to idling. (and would quickly put Idleaire out of business). Freeing up parking spots that they are robbing us from.

 

We use idleaire sometimes. It beats running the truck. We have never been asked to move if we are not using the service BUT we try to be nice to our neighbors and NOT idle our truck while in an idle aire spot.

For the newbies...ALOT of companies offer idleaire to the drivers. I know Arrow pays for like 10 hours (it used to anyways) and there are alot of other companies that offer it. Just ask your dispatcher.

I like it because we get cable TV and can hook up our electrical stuff to it while we are parked.

We have also been on the other side of the coin and NOT used the service and been denied a parking space (sometimes they block them off) because we were not going to use the service.

So I can understand the frusteration of both sides.

tootie

 

Well I'm sure they wil ask...But they don't own the parking slots the truck stop does , so they CAN NOT kick you out of a slot for not using the service. I know this because many times late at night or super early morning and I park in these spots , As most drivers won't because they assume Idle air owns the parking slots (they don't ) so there is most time an empty spot . I was asked to leave once and I spoke of this to the manager at the petro I was at ,and he said they CAN NOT make you move they don't own the parking just equipment .

 

I know that Idleaire doesnt "own" those parking slots, but they sure can pressure you into thinking you need to move to allow parking of Idleaire customers, even if you may have used the service for a short period, then shut it down to sleep.

Heres a thought, If Idleaire doesnt "own" the parking slots and anybody can park in the slot, what gives them the right to put out the orange cones to hold parking slots for presumed inbound trucks with reservations?
If they dont "own" the parking slot they have no right to restrict the parking in that slot.

 

While they may not own the parking lot, I'm sure they do in fact lease those spots. In leasing those spots they probably can make you leave, but they don't do it to maintain a good image.

I don't understand why some people get so upset with Idleaire. Yes they charge you for a service and that service requires a space. So why do some drivers feel the right to park anywhere they please? If you don't use it, don't park there. Because you very well might be taking up a spot a paying customer will want and can't get because you're pissed or feel entitled to the spot in question.

 

The problem there is that when you pull into most IdleAire equipped truckstops, the free parking spots are completely full and only a few trucks in the IA spots.

Now, if they tell you that you can't park in that spot and you have to move, then what?

 

Then you go somewhere else.

What's fair here? A business trying to make a profit giving away free spots? Again, if you take a spot and don't pay and they fill up and then if someone wants to use IdleAir, they can't. Imagine if it's a driver who's company pays for IA and frowns heavily on idling. You've now screwed that driver.

The bottom line is IA is most likely here to stay and drivers need to just accept the fact that they will take up some spots. It's only going to spread as more truck stop locations are accepting IA. Your real beef is with the truck stops. Don't blame it on IA.

 

Yes I was kinda assuming that we understood the "free" spots were full.

I remember an issue of the T/A magazine had an articile about Idleaire, and the rules of use. One rule clearly stated that you do not have to use the service to park in one of the Idleaire slots.

Again IMO Idleaire created and contributed to another problem in the industry, parking. It is just somebodies idea to capitalize on the truckdrivers.

The investment monies utilized in establising and maintaining (let alone paying employees) Idleaire, probably could have been better invested in APU's, to help offset the cost of the unit and installing them on the trucks.

I still have a feeling that Idleaire is going to go out of business like the old Park and View (or whatever they were), and all that investment monies will be lost.