IdleAire is Struggling

[ATeam]

This is not late breaking news, but it was news to me to learn that IdleAire is now struggling to survive. I have never been much impressed with the IdleAire concept or company's prospects.

As expediters who wait for freight, sometimes for days at a time, we have a stake in this story and in the concept of going to a fixed location like a truck stop to avail ourselves to shore power or IdleAire-type services.

The question is, how do we minimize our expenses and remain safe and comfortable while resting or waiting for freight?

For many expediters, the answer is a generator-equipped truck. Some have generators and shore power connections, and use the shore power when they find it available. For others, it is hotels.

IdleAire will not go away overnight, but we are not likely to see the number of available locations growing any time soon.

With an increasing number of trucks coming with generators, inverters and shore power, and with drivers carrying their own TVs and laptops, a simple electrical plug in is all that is needed to keep people comfortable in the cab. It is my hope that the market forces will move truck stops in the direction of providing shore power to every parking space.

News story: IdleAire expansion stalling

News story:

 

[pelicn]

Phil, the link didn't work. I saw this in Landline today.

Tom Badgett, chief information officer and co-founder of IdleAire Technologies Corp. recently announced his retirement. However, he will continue to assist in the company's transition on a day-to-day basis until April 14.

http://www.landlinemag.com/todays_news/Daily/2008/Feb08/022508/022808-09.htm

IdleAire was too expensive when fuel was cheap, and when the truckstops finally jumped on the bandwagon, so many drivers had gone to APU systems. IdleAire also takes up so much room that there is less parking where it's been put into place.

 

[mrgoodtude]

Phil, the link didn't work. I saw this in Landline today.

http://www.landlinemag.com/todays_news/Daily/2008/Feb08/022508/022808-09.htm

IdleAire was too expensive when fuel was cheap, and when the truckstops finally jumped on the bandwagon, so many drivers had gone to APU systems. IdleAire also takes up so much room that there is less parking where it's been put into place.

And what if a participant had TB or some contagious respiratory ailment??
Measures in place to sterilize the air?
It's funny that ridiculous "no idle legislation is passed" at the same time these guys pushed for massive expansion when their business model was unsuccessful at best..
Best case scenario they fold and the landowners utilize their rigging for covered cab parking with shore power and exhaust fans to flush stale air and fumes.
That is a service I would patron.

 

[treilly]

Too Little to late. There marketing statergy is what turned me off talked with a guy in Louisville Trk show last year. He called me every day for a month finally I had to tell him to quit or i would report him. I believe in the APU it gives a driver the liberty to get away from the truckstops for a real good rest.

 

[redytrk]

There is a competing system out West. Hope they expand. As my truck is wired for shore power, they meet my needs better. Don`t know what they charge.http://www.shurepower.com/network.htm

 

[ATeam]

The link to the above mentioned news story has been repaired.

News story: IdleAire expansion stalling

 

[ATeam]

There is a competing system out West. Hope they expand. As my truck is wired for shore power, they meet my needs better. Don`t know what they charge.http://www.shurepower.com/network.htm

We have used the Shorepower Network at the Jubitz truck stop in Portland, Oregon. It meets our needs also and beats IdleAire hands down both in terms of the footprint it requires on the ground at truck stops and price. Note that this company used to be named Shurepower. A pre-existing company with that same name made them change it. Shorepower is now the current name.

Photos showing Shorepower in use on our truck are attached.

 

[Crazynuff]

And what if a participant had TB or some contagious respiratory ailment??
Measures in place to sterilize the air?
It's funny that ridiculous "no idle legislation is passed" at the same time these guys pushed for massive expansion when their business model was unsuccessful at best..
Best case scenario they fold and the landowners utilize their rigging for covered cab parking with shore power and exhaust fans to flush stale air and fumes.
That is a service I would patron.

IdleAire units are supposedly purged and sterilized after each use . I have yet to use one that supplied adequate heat in really cold weather .

 

[dabluzman1]

Like a cheap motel, the couple of time we used Idle aire, the air pumped in stunk. I dont understand how it retains the stale smell of cigs when it draws outside air, but it stinks none the less.
I dont envision using them again.

 

[EagleRiverWI]

I stopped using Idle Aire when I noticed that every location smelled like an ash tray.

 

[Broompilot]

A nieghbor commented to My Wife that she had seen a segment on TV on how this was so great for all us drivers. And only at $3.00 an hour (what ever the price was) my wife commented now multiply that times 24 hours, would you pay that for a room at Red Roof Inn? Than the nieghbor got the hint, this aint as cheap as they make it out to be.

But the general public thinks we are either all making $ galore and are williing to save the planet at any costs without passing on the expense we pay while out here back to the consumers. Great Media coverage but as usual the truth was not completly told.

 

[rdtrpn]

I do like Idle Aire. They can save money. Especially if you have to use them for a/c and in the winter months when it isn't bone chilling cold say 25 or better. I wish they had HDTV.

 

[arkjarhead]

The only time I like Idle Air was when I was driving a truck with a broke a/c and the owner was paying for it.

 

[prescat]

My guess is that the reason IdleAire is struggling is because their service is horrible. In early Nov. I was going to give them a try in Dallas, but they were too busy, (apathetic) to answer a couple of my questions. Later that month I was signed up a a very nice and enthusiastic employee in Ontario, Ca. She gave me confidence that it would be a good service. (My Onan was not working at that time). I spent 30 bucks for the gold card/window "thingy"/ethernet cable and it seemed to work fine...in beautiful weather during the day. Then I was freezing in Salt Lake City and there were no spots. Then I tried to use the Denver location becuase it was freezing and a there was a game I wanted to watch and at 7PM there were no spots. (4 were broken and people not using it were parked in other spots.) When I complained, they were arrogant about it and assured me that "I could park in a broken down cone spot, and maybe one would open at 2 or 3AM and they would bang on my truck." I told them to stick it in the...Meanwhile, even though they don't have enough spaces when you could use the service, they had signs in the trailer to sell atleast a member per shift. I also find out that Custom Critical already gets me the rate I paid 10 bucks to get. I used it once after that until 2 weeks ago in West Memphis. I needed internet service since my wireless couldn't get a signal. It was also daytime, but fairly cold. I pulled into a spot, got situated, and after setting evrything up, the service module wasn't working. I called to complain, the attendant comes down, she moves me two spaces over, I set up, and the heat is not working. No problem they say, it's the heater core in the unit, can I move again?.. Nope. I'm not spending an hour for this crap. That's what their service is crap. When I called to complain it was nothing but attitude and arrogance. I'm sure it was not just me and I guess that's why they are struggling.

 

[jay shipley]

I quit using them when my wife and I purchased a movie, only to find out they were running the minutes as well as the movie charge. The movie was terminated mid-stream, and we terminated our service. We have an APU and satelitte TV......no need for these overpriced people who take MORE than their fair share of space on a parking lot.

 

[ATeam]

News Item: IdleAire says its situation dire

"Knoxville-based IdleAire Technologies says in a federal filing that if it doesn't get "immediate working capital," it will be forced to file for bankruptcy." (Source: knoxnews.com)

 

[pelicn]

I wonder what will happen to all the equipment that's been put in place at the truck stops? Will each stop have to put out the money to get rid of it, or will they be left to rot?

Flying J and Loves are the only ones I haven't seen IdleAire

 

[rdtrpn]

its such a valuable service, especially in the summer. much cheaper than running the truck hours on end and better for the environment and uhhemmm fuel costs since less is consumed therefore less is needed. you may be a rich truck driver and dont care but you can still help the environment and others by helping not consume so much fuel and helping in keeping fuel costs down!!! Support your local idle aire, which for us truckers is whichever one is closest that day.

 

[pelicn]

Problem with just shore power connections is that alot of semi trucks couldn't use them anyway. If they have a generator it still may not have the shore power connection.
We've only had shore power connection with an Onan does anyone else know of others that have it?
IdleAire is expensive, but fuel is more so

 

[greg334]

Problem with just shore power connections is that alot of semi trucks couldn't use them anyway. If they have a generator it still may not have the shore power connection.
We've only had shore power connection with an Onan does anyone else know of others that have it?
IdleAire is expensive, but fuel is more so

Any truck that is wired for 110 can use shore power, it does not even have to have a generator or an inverter. An RV shore power kit will work, nothing fancy.