IdleAire no longer accepting reservations
- Thread starter Crazynuff
- Start date
I would guess (and it is a guess) that this is one of many cost cutting moves we will see made in coming months. IdleAire is not doing as well as its early investors hoped (not a guess). I don't think the company will disappear overnight. I do think the company will be sold at a discount and perhaps the next owners will be able to make it cash flow.
rollnthunder
Expert Expediter
I think if they adjusted their price alittle it would be more used.I have a apu so i have never used idleair but when my apu was on the outs i considered it but the price discouraged me.I have wireless internet already,cell phone all i would use it for would bhave been heat or ac.But got my apu fixed.
Many users are company drivers with fleets that allow IdleAire to be charged on the fuel card . I have heard drivers from these companies complain IdleAire employees will come knocking on their door if they park in a non-IdleAire space in fair weather when they wouldn't idle anyway .
IdleAire is not the only game in town when it comes to idle alternatives. Truckstop electrification is discussed in certain circles and is appearing here and there. We were pleasantly surprised to see it offered free (for a limited time) yesterday at Jubitz in Portland, Oregon.
See: http://shurepower.com/
One very notable difference between IdleAire and Shurepower is Shurepower has no sales force on the ground. It appears that drivers will hook up and then activate the service by telephone.
Another pleasant difference is the absence of those aweful-looking structures IdleAire places in truck stops at much greater expense than the Shurepower stations.
There are differences, of course, but Shurepower sure seems to me to be the better business model.
The Portland Tribune article about it says truckers will be charged about a dollar an hour for the service. I'm not sure we would use it at that price. We would not need the Wi-Fi and cable TV the service includes. A dollar an hour seems a bit steep to pay for electric only.
See: http://shurepower.com/
One very notable difference between IdleAire and Shurepower is Shurepower has no sales force on the ground. It appears that drivers will hook up and then activate the service by telephone.
Another pleasant difference is the absence of those aweful-looking structures IdleAire places in truck stops at much greater expense than the Shurepower stations.
There are differences, of course, but Shurepower sure seems to me to be the better business model.
The Portland Tribune article about it says truckers will be charged about a dollar an hour for the service. I'm not sure we would use it at that price. We would not need the Wi-Fi and cable TV the service includes. A dollar an hour seems a bit steep to pay for electric only.
I think they would get way more people to use IdleAire if the cost was lower,more like $1.25 per hour ($30.00 a day) At the rates they have now its better to get a cheap motel than IdleAire. For us at FedEx we get it at $1.85 and hour plus tax ($44.40 a day plus tax). It's cheaper for our driver's to get a Motel 6 room at the driver rate of $45.00 a night plus tax than to use IdleAire. Less wear on the motor and they get shower's too. Just my thought on this.
Drive safe
Dave Mayfield
FedEx Custom Critical
14 years as an O/O in Expediting.
Drive safe
Dave Mayfield
FedEx Custom Critical
14 years as an O/O in Expediting.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
When I was using IdleAire and not in the desert, I would crank it up around 12 or 1 pm and turn it off around 11 at night. In the desert, I would run it from 9 am and turn it off at 1 am - off for 8 hours. I never ran it 24 hours except when I got really sick out there and didn't care at that point.
jansiemoo
Seasoned Expediter
Also, if its hot during the day, you can preload a cash card with $15 or $20 and let the air run until the money's gone. By then its dark and cooling off, and if you're not opening the doors, it'll stay pretty comfy. Same should apply for turning on the heat at night.
Having never used IdleAire, I did not realize it was that expensive. $1.50 an hour will buy you a 24 hour stay in an RV park ($36), which is an attractive option if your truck is equipped with shore power. Most RV parks provide laundry, showers, water, sewer, cable TV, Wi-Fi and a place to stay that is more safe, quiet and clean than a truck stop.
The down side is RV parks charge by the day, not the hour. For shorter stays, IdleAire and ShurePower are less expensive. Though, at that price, I would run the generator instead of using IdleAire. And since our truck is generator and bathroom equipped, it is unlikely that we would stay at a truck stop at all.
Air-card internet access eliminates the need for Wi-Fi. This night, we are parked on a side street in a small northern California town. I'm online now. Overnight, the auto-start generator kicked in and ran for about an hour to keep the batteries charged up.
IdleAire and ShurePower have their advantages, but there is nothing like the freedom and comfort a full-featured truck provides. Our total "lodging" costs this night are the cost of fuel to run the generator for an hour.
The down side is RV parks charge by the day, not the hour. For shorter stays, IdleAire and ShurePower are less expensive. Though, at that price, I would run the generator instead of using IdleAire. And since our truck is generator and bathroom equipped, it is unlikely that we would stay at a truck stop at all.
Air-card internet access eliminates the need for Wi-Fi. This night, we are parked on a side street in a small northern California town. I'm online now. Overnight, the auto-start generator kicked in and ran for about an hour to keep the batteries charged up.
IdleAire and ShurePower have their advantages, but there is nothing like the freedom and comfort a full-featured truck provides. Our total "lodging" costs this night are the cost of fuel to run the generator for an hour.
pelicn
Veteran Expediter
I think Idleaire was a good concept, but truck stops didn't embrace the idea quick enough. Now more and more trucks are going to APU use instead. We used Idleaire a few times 2-3 years ago when we were driving T/T, it was nice, but the cost was outrageous, a motel room was just as cheap.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Hey Phil,
Just want to throw this in about the RV park, some RV parks will not allow trucks that are a certain age to use their facilities and even some state parks will restrict you and sometimes charge you more. I have had all of this happen to me and another FedEx C unit owner so people with nice new shiny trucks may be the rule and you were not aware of this.
Also by the by some RV parks also restrict RVs because of their age, because I had problems with this when I borrowed my friend's Air Stream MH a few years back so it is not about being a truck.
Just want to throw this in about the RV park, some RV parks will not allow trucks that are a certain age to use their facilities and even some state parks will restrict you and sometimes charge you more. I have had all of this happen to me and another FedEx C unit owner so people with nice new shiny trucks may be the rule and you were not aware of this.
Also by the by some RV parks also restrict RVs because of their age, because I had problems with this when I borrowed my friend's Air Stream MH a few years back so it is not about being a truck.
arkjarhead
Veteran Expediter
greg,
It seems to me a lot of those rv people have thier noses so far up in the air they would drown if it rained.
It seems to me a lot of those rv people have thier noses so far up in the air they would drown if it rained.
OK, Greg. I'll modify my statement. An RV park that will let you in is an attractive alternative to paying $36.00 for 24 hours of IdleAire.
We have been denied entry one time to an RV park, "No Commercial Vehciles." And one time at a California state beach (though other California state beaches would allow us). Other RV parks have allowed us because we were self-contained (stand-up shower, holding tanks) while pop-up camping trailers and tent campers are prhohibited. Still others let everyone in, no matter how old and beat up their vehicles are.
KOA Kampgrounds seem to be the least discriminating of the chains, yet their facilities are adequate. For all-paved lots and lots with many of ammenities, you will likely end up paying a higher price, if they let you in at all.
We have been denied entry one time to an RV park, "No Commercial Vehciles." And one time at a California state beach (though other California state beaches would allow us). Other RV parks have allowed us because we were self-contained (stand-up shower, holding tanks) while pop-up camping trailers and tent campers are prhohibited. Still others let everyone in, no matter how old and beat up their vehicles are.
KOA Kampgrounds seem to be the least discriminating of the chains, yet their facilities are adequate. For all-paved lots and lots with many of ammenities, you will likely end up paying a higher price, if they let you in at all.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Phil,
No need to modify anything, I just had to point that out.
I forgot to mention I ran into an interesting situation in Jackson WY, one camp ground owner asked me to camp at his place, which I could not do I had to move down to Utah but he wanted some commercial traffic.
Thanks for the confirmation about the Cal beach, I ran into the 'it is $60 a night' attitude at one of them while another asked if I planned on moving out in the morning and told me $5 - go figure. I never tried KOA though, I will now.
Do you have a list of camp grounds on your web site that you have stayed at?
No need to modify anything, I just had to point that out.
I forgot to mention I ran into an interesting situation in Jackson WY, one camp ground owner asked me to camp at his place, which I could not do I had to move down to Utah but he wanted some commercial traffic.
Thanks for the confirmation about the Cal beach, I ran into the 'it is $60 a night' attitude at one of them while another asked if I planned on moving out in the morning and told me $5 - go figure. I never tried KOA though, I will now.
Do you have a list of camp grounds on your web site that you have stayed at?