Roehl No APU's?
Topic 1157 | Page 1
Steven, I don't know how often this very subject comes up, but it is quite often. This subject of APUs causes a lot of concern for new people entering the field. I guess I understand it because there is so much misinformation out there. You can always ask a recruiter, but understandably a lot of people just don't trust what the recruiters tell them.
We've got some very happy Roehl employees on here, and I hope they will give you an answer also, mainly because their response will carry some more weight because of their personal experiences at Roehl.
First off I want you to think about how long Roehl would be able to keep their employees if they insisted that they freeze in the winter and sleep in sweat soaked sheets in the summer. Then I want you to realize that selecting a company based on whether they have APUs or not is not a good plan because so many companies that had them at one time now no longer use them. They've proven to be very expensive to maintain and replace. If you select your employer based on them having APUs you may be very disappointed when they start removing them from the fleet. Trucking companies change their minds about stuff like this all the time, because they are always trying to squeeze a dime out of a nickel.
Every company out there will have a policy about idling for comfort, the main thing they don't want you doing is idling unnecessarily. This would be things like idling at a receiver or shipper while you are out of the truck. My company claims that we would save 10,000 dollars a week in fuel expenses if the drivers who are idling unnecessarily would just stop doing it. So you can see that excessive idling really adds up to a large sum of money in a large fleet. That word "excessive" is key in this discussion. I can guarantee you that Roehl values their employees and wants to make sure they are comfortable and safe in the various weather conditions they find themselves in.
Shipper:
The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.
SAP:
Substance Abuse Professional
The Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) is a person who evaluates employees who have violated a DOT drug and alcohol program regulation and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.
APU:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
APUs:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
Amen to everything Old School said. Don't let the APU thing concern you Steven. You will be comfortable out there even without an APU. I'll bet less than 1% of the big rigs on the road today have APU's. In fact, I know that's the case. No worries.
APU:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
APU's:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
Thanks so much for the info and advice guys. I never would have made that a determining factor in my decision on who to work for, but I'm trying to know as much as I can about them. I'm 55% through school and my grad date is 2 months away so Im trying to crack down on who, where, and what I want to work for. thanks again!
The Roehl truck parked next to me in the truck stop in New Albany, Mississippi has an APU. Haven't seen the driver so I don't know how it came about being in his truck.
My company allows us to run the engines on hot or cold days. Personally, I think APUs would be cheaper, but it's their decision. It really is a safety issue ... you can't sleep in sweat or when freezing, so a reasonable company wouldn't stop you from running the engine. Many, many trucks run their engines every night in the truck stops.
Some newer units have a feature that starts the engine every so often and runs it to achieve the temperature in the sleeper set by the driver. A less expensive alternative to the APU.
APU:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
APUs:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
Some newer units have a feature that starts the engine every so often and runs it to achieve the temperature in the sleeper set by the driver. A less expensive alternative to the APU.
I can't speak from experience, but I work with two retired truck drivers that used to have trucks that had the "auto start" feature.
They both hated it. You just get to sleep and all of the sudden your truck starts. Or you get used to it running and get to sleep with the vibration and the truck shuts off and you wake up.
Both of them said, if they could have turned the feature off they would have. One even told me he changed companies due to that auto start. He tried to work with it for 3 months and he couldn't get a good nights sleep at all. So he moved to another company.
I can totally understand that. I could get used to "regular" sounds. But you take something that happens when ever it wants, that I couldn't take.
Keep it safe out there. Joe S
APU:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
New Reply:
New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features
Preview:
Why Join Trucking Truth?
- The High Road Training Program
- The High Road Article Series
- The Friendliest Trucker's Forum Ever!
- Email Updates When New Articles Are Posted
Apply For Paid CDL Training Through TruckingTruth
Did you know you can fill out one quick form here on TruckingTruth and apply to several companies at once for paid CDL training? Seriously! The application only takes one minute. You will speak with recruiters today. There is no obligation whatsoever. Learn more and apply here:
TT On Facebook
I was out on a shifting drill today speaking with one of my instructors. He said something about Roehl not having APU's and not allowing you to idle? Could someone who currently works for roehl or an administrator/moderator comfirm or whether or not this is true as I had just recently narrowed my prehires down to them, and thought I had done all of my research, somehow left that out. THANKS!
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.Prehire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
Prehires:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
APU:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
APU's:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.