29Aug

Team Truck Driving

The life of a trucker can be quite lonely. While an APU can provide all the comforts of home when it comes to air conditioning, cell phone charging, and so much more, it cannot provide companionship. Many truckers and trucking companies opt to allow for team truck driving. This is when two drivers travel together and take turns behind the wheel. This process can actually lead to increased efficiency and a greater sense of workplace satisfaction. For the trucking company is allows the truck to keep moving while continuing to follow the hours of service regulations. The company ends up paying for the total miles driven and that sum is divided amongst the two drivers. Below are a few things to consider if you are considering team truck driving.  Can you trust your driving partner: There are many reasons why you will need to have complete trust in your driving partner. For one, you will need to be able to feel you can get restful sleep while they are driving and vice versa.  Comfortable sharing space: The cab of your truck and general living area offers very tight quarters. You will want to make sure that you can comfortably share a space with this other person. This is one of the main reasons that driving partners tend to be husband/wife teams or other combinations of family members.  Compromise: The two of you will need to decide how the day is divided up. For example, you will need to agree who drives first, for how long, how many stops you take and where, etc.  Benefit from company: Are you someone who feels they will benefit from company on the road or do you prefer a solo drive? Most people find that they will benefit from shared usage of their APU and drive in general. semi truck
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22Jul

Maximizing Fuel Efficiency

When it comes to saving money on your fleet, every dollar counts these days. Rising diesel prices have dramatically impacted the way fleets operate and how efficiently owners can run their companies. More often than not these increases in fuel prices are forced onto the consumer directly. However, there are many ways that you can help to maximize your fuel efficiency in order to save as much money as possible. See below for some ways to help save as much as possible while operating your fleet during these difficult times. 1. Track Everything: It is difficult to improve your operating costs and expenses when you are not actively tracking your current spend. It is important to track every dollar spent and why. Make sure that your drivers also incorporate their idle time. 2. Reduce Idling: This is where APUs come to help save hundreds to thousands of dollars annually. If you are not currently using APUs it is time you took a look at our cost savings calculator on our website. You are missing out on significant savings. 3. Consider Load Placement: How you load your trailer impacts the fuel efficiency of every drive. Try to streamline the wind as much as possible for any exposed areas. Also, evenly distribute weight so that a smoother ride is possible. 4. Be Selective: Some routes just make more sense than others. Make sure you have reviewed each route so that you check for things like hilly terrain to be certain that the job is profitable. 5. Smooth Driver: Having a driver that drives “smoothly” can help save the most on gas usage. Things like anticipating traffic stops and accelerating slowly can help save money over time. The worst thing you can do is to constantly break or to break quickly as this kills your fuel efficiency.gas
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20Jun

Fleet Challenges

The current state of the economy has taken its toll on many industries. The reason for this is likely tied up in the toll it has taken on fleets across the country. With the dramatic increases in inflation, fuel, equipment, and labor costs, companies are struggling to keep up. This is forcing a higher cost onto the consumer directly for just about every good and service across the board. This is unlikely to settle for quite some time. Manufacturer delays are so common now that fleets have been forced to focus on preventative maintenance as their top priority. Maintenance costs were down in the year 2020 due to the COVID19 pandemic. As things started reopening and customers started placing more orders, maintenance costs increased in 2021. Now that we are halfway through 2022 we are seeing even greater maintenance costs across the board. There has been a 20.4% increase in repair costs since the year 2020 just to 2022. This is more than a little inflation that companies could have anticipated. In order to help get in front of the small problems that could exist and in order to prevent them becoming large maintenance items, companies are now recommended to check their APUs more often than ever. APUs help reduce idling with can help to prevent large maintenance items in the long-run. Repairs have become so costly that they are now placed in order of priority. Repairs that are a safety concern are taken care of immediately. Drivers need to be kept safe while on the road at all times in order to protect themselves and others. Repairs that impact the reliability of the vehicle are next in line. Finally, convenience items are taken care of last. If you are worried about the ongoing maintenance of your fleet, we highly recommend taking the preventative maintenance approach.mechanic
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16May

Rising Diesel Prices

This month the average diesel prices has risen to a record high of $5.473. This is a huge jump in prices just from last month when the national average was less than $4.00. These diesel increases are devastating for freight transportation companies that require fuel. Many diesel trucks are paying close to $2,000 every time they fill up. With prices this high many companies will be forced out of business as the cost to fill the tank has simply eaten away at any potential profits. While an APU can help reduce some costs it cannot entirely eliminate the need for diesel when it comes to freight. Nearly 70% of freight is transported via truck. What this means is that if the companies do survive these massive price increases the cost will be put off onto the consumer. Increasing diesel costs have already contributed to the massive increase in inflation over the last year. However, predictions are that consumers have not yet seen the worst of it as diesel is expected to keep rising. The initial increase in diesel prices were due to the ban on Russian oil. While the United States only receives a small percentage of its oil from Russia we are still trading in a Global Market. After a major crisis occurs, oil prices tend to shoot up but take a significant amount of time to come back down. Consumers can expect to pay more for nearly all commodities across the board. Everything from groceries, building supplies, and online ordering all come via trucks. If we cannot get the cost of diesel down soon not only will businesses go under but consumers will not be able to afford their current lifestyles. We hope APUs help offset some costs for freight trucks, but we know this high cost of diesel is simply not sustainable.   gas station
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22Apr

How Do APU’s Work?

With gas prices skyrocketing you may have noticed a significant increase in your monthly bills both personally and in your fleet. It is no surprise that the high gas prices have put a strain on truck drivers. Luckily, APUs act as a secondary energy source for semi-trucks. This secondary energy source allows for the heating and cooling of the interior of the truck cab. In fact, anti-idling laws have even made it illegal for trucks to sit idling. This would mean that a truck driver would be forced to turn off all power to their cab and be without heat, air, or any electricity. This would mean that truck drivers could not survive out on the road – at least not within their own cabs. This would increase hotel stays and overall expenses for fleet management to unmanageable levels. APUs can be powered by a few different sources. First, an APU for sale can be powered by electricity. These APUs work by operating through cell batteries. They can vary by the size of the vehicle and how often they need to be changed really varies dependent upon how often the APU is used. Electric APUs require little to no annual maintenance. Auxiliary power units can also be powered by combustion provided that fuel is available. This type of APU does require annual maintenance. A diesel powered APU for sale can last a significant distance but does require fuel. However, you will get more out of the diesel powered engine than what you put into it. Of course the biggest advantage to consider with an APU is the environmental benefits. APUs help to save the planet by reducing emissions into the environment. Idling for even a short period of time releases harmful emission into the air that we all breathe.gas
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10Mar

The History of Thermo King Corporation

Thermo King Parts are now synonymous in the world of APU’s as one of the top carriers and quality parts. But how did they come to be? Thermo King Corporation is an American Manufacturer of transport temperature control systems for trucks, trailers, and shipboard containers. They now develop TriPac hybrid auxiliary idle reduction and temperature management systems for truck cabs. This is likely how you know of them today. Headquartered in Minneapolis they are a proud American company. In the beginning Joe Numero partnered with engineer Fredrick Jones and formed what is now Thermo King. They developed a cooling unit for trucks that were carrying perishable food. They were able to patent this development in 1940. After that was established, they were then challenged to create a refrigerated truck and Thermo King was born. Refrigerated transport changed the way the entire food industry operated. Thermo King’s most recent invention is the development of the TriPac hybrid auxiliary idle reduction and temperature management system which eliminates the need for a truck engine to idle while still providing heating and cooling to the truck cab. Just like refrigerated trucks forever changed the food industry, the TriPac hybridapuauxillary idle reduction and temperature management system forever changed the trucking industry. If you are in need of Thermo King Parts, our APU Center would be happy to help you find exactly what it is you are looking for. We can help guide you to new products as well as help you restore any problematic existing parts that you may already have.
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17Feb

How Harmful Is Idling?

There are now 29 states with active idling law regulations in place. These laws are in place for good reason, as idling for 10 seconds uses more fuel and produces more CO2 than restarting your engine does! Over time and with an excessive number of vehicles on the road, these emissions can wreak havoc on the environment. Running vehicles emit significant CO2 which is a colorless and odorless gas. What happens to the environment when more and more CO2 is emitted is that heat becomes trapped. This is called the enhanced greenhouse effect. Over time this can dramatically alter the earth’s climate. Vehicles also produce volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, and oxides of nitrogen. All of these gases are toxic and when produced in abundance are extremely harmful to the environment. Something to consider when running a fleet of vehicles that may be idling is the health of the drivers. The drivers have direct exposure to all of these harmful chemical day after day while on the job. This can cause long-term health problems and increase costs for your business, not to mention you want to protect your drivers at all cost. Luckily, APU Center has an abundance of solutions that will not only save the health of your drivers, but it will help save your bottom line as well. If you need assistance on selecting the right APU for your fleet of vehicles we are happy to help. We have cost-saving solution tools that will help you realize your total cost savings by making the switch. The best benefit to APU usage is the health of the environment and the health of your drivers. It can be an initial investment to your company upfront but will save you significantly long-term and the payback happens quickly.idling
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10Dec

What Are Idling Laws?

Idling laws are necessary for the better good of the environment. There are now 29 states that have adopted idling laws. What is idling exactly? Idling is the process in which you run your engine while the vehicle is stationary. Idling actually accounts for over 6 billion gallons of fuel into the air every year! This is an incredible amount of waste. Our environment across the globe would benefit greatly from a reduction in idling emissions not to mention the fuel cost savings. Enter the evolution of the APU, the auxiliary power unit! This specialty device is created with idling emissions in mind! The increase in exhaust into the environment can lead to asthma, cancer, cardiac disease, and various other health concerns. Lowering idling emissions through the use of an APU is beneficial on so many levels. In fact, as many as three times as many people die from air pollution related illnesses than car accidents every year. Everyday consumers idle without even realizing it, for example in the school car pick up line or in the drive through line as well. Truck drivers idle on a more necessary basis for regulating the cabin temperature or charging important devices. Idling laws typically limit idling for 3-5 minutes for most states. This is where the APU becomes necessary for truck drivers. The use of an APU allows truck drivers the ability to still use their main cabin without idling.apu Many states are offering grants, loans, and even tax credits for adopting idle reduction technologies like APUs. We are happy to help make sure that you find the appropriate APU for your vehicle and can help maintain and manage all APUs for your entire fleet if necessary. We look forward to helping you save money and reduce idling emissions into the environment.
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05Nov

Maintaining Your APU

The Thermo King APU price averages about $8,000 dollars. While this initial investment may sound overwhelming when you are purchasing several units for a large fleet, the return on your investment is nearly immediate. You are paying for the value of low maintenance and long-term durability in a quality product. Not only will the product itself withstand the test of time it will provide numerous cost saving benefits along the way. APUs are battery based power systems that can operate your fleets systems without running the engine. This allows the drivers all the heating, cooling, and technology comforts of home without the wear and tear on the vehicle’sapu engine. APU’s require no fuel consumption, no idling, and give off zero noise. There is also the added environment benefit of no related engine emissions due to idling. The maintenance required on an APU is very minimal particularly when compared to the maintenance required on an engine. There are no oil changes or expensive replacements. The biggest maintenance that you will want to be aware of is that the battery will need to be changed out roughly every 24-36 months depending on usage. When referring to a vehicle it is quite common to refer to everything in mileage. However, when referring to usage of an APU it is referred to in terms of hours of usage. For example, every 2,000 hours you will want to change the fluids, hoses, clamps and valves. This can cost around $800. This is still significantly less than any engine maintenance. If we can help you determine a fair Thermo King APU price or maintain your existing APU we would be happy to help. Our team of trained professionals are here to help advise you on the right decision for your fleet. We also encourage you to visit our cost savings calculator to determine your long-term benefits.
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18Oct

The Evolution of the APU

Auxiliary Power Units have been around for quite a long time, but it has taken hundreds of years to get to the APU for sale that you see today! You can’t beat the luxuries that APU’s are able to offer drivers and cost-savings they offer fleet management. But where did it all begin? During WWI, the British Coastal class blimps carried a 1.75 horsepower auxiliary engine. This engine powered a generator for a radio transmitter. The auxiliary engine could power the air blower in an emergency as well. One of the first military fixed-wing aircrafts to use an APU was the British aircraft named Supermarine Nighthawk.  During WWII many American military aircrafts were now carrying APUs. These units became known as “putt-putts.” The putt-putt provided power for starting the main engines and was used until the aircraft reached 10,000 feet in the air. The putt-putt was also restarted when the plane prepared to descend for a safe landing. The first German jet engines in WWII used an APU starting system. This system was designed by Norber Riedel and had a 10 horsepower, 2-stroke flat engine hidden in the intake diverter. This was an excellent example of future auxiliary power units for starting a jet engine.  The Boeing 727 in 1963 was the first jetliner to feature a gas turbine APU which allowed the aircraft to operate out of a smaller airport. It is important not to take for granted the increased technology we have readily available at our fingertips today. We have many options when it comes to an APU for sale that will save thousands in dollars as well as improve the comfort of every driver on the road. If you have any questions about our APUs for sale we would be happy to help.
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