IdleAir, a division of Convoy Solutions LLC, is a company that provides in-cab services to truckers via centralized systems at

truck stop A truck stop (known as a service station in the United Kingdom, a travel center by major chains in the United States and a roadhouse in rural Australia) is a commercial facility which provides refueling, rest (parking), and often ready-made f ...

s around the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. IdleAir's service, the patented Advanced Travel Center electrification (ATE), was more complex and more expensive than traditional truck stop electrification (TSE) systems which are aimed at

idle reduction Idle reduction describes technologies and practices that minimize the amount of time drivers idle their engines. Avoiding idling time has a multitude of benefits including: savings in fuel and maintenance costs, extending vehicle life, and redu ...

reducing the amount of fuel consumed by trucks while they idle during rests. Most TSE systems simply provide electricity to trucks parked in their slots. IdleAir's service is more comprehensive, including heating and air conditioning, phone service, Internet connectivity, television, and 120-volt electrical outlets. The ATE services are delivered by a distinctive yellow tube that hooks into the door window of the truck. The company, formerly named IdleAire, was launched in June 2000 and filed for bankruptcy protection on May 12, 2008. In 2007, the widow of a trucker filed an $18 million lawsuit against IdleAire at Knoxville Court. Her husband, a trucker from

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, had died of

carbon monoxide poisoning Carbon monoxide poisoning typically occurs from breathing in carbon monoxide (CO) at excessive levels. Symptoms are often described as " flu-like" and commonly include headache, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. Large ...

while using the IdleAire system. According to the lawsuit the IdleAire device was marketed as capable of removing

carbon monoxide Carbon monoxide (chemical formula CO) is a poisonous, flammable gas that is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and slightly less dense than air. Carbon monoxide consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom connected by a triple bond. It is the si ...

, yet she alleged it had sucked up the exhaust gases of the truck. IdleAire had 131 locations in 34 states. A May 16, 2008 press release on their website stated that they expected to remain open, however, IdleAire officially closed on January 29, 2010. In 2008 some locations had been demolished. Convoy Solutions LLC of Knoxville, TN, acquired the former IdleAire assets and relaunched the company as IdleAir in 2010. Since being relaunched by Convoy Solutions in 2010, the new IdleAir has opened 32 locations in 12 states — Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. IdleAir services are available at some major truck stops, including

Pilot Flying J Pilot Travel Centers LLC, trade name, doing business as Pilot Flying J, is a North American chain of truck stops in the United States and Canada. The company is based in Knoxville, Tennessee. The company is owned by Berkshire Hathaway. The comp ...

Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores Love's Travel Stops, doing business as Love's (or stylized as Loves), is an American family-owned and -operated chain of more than 650 truck stops in 42 states in the United States. The company is privately owned and headquartered in Oklahoma ...

, Sapp Brothers, and

TravelCenters of America TravelCenters of America LLC is the largest publicly traded full-service truck stop and travel center company in the United States. The company operates full service centers, convenience stores, and restaurants under the TravelCenters of America ...

(TA and Petro Shopping Centers) and Petro franchisee locations. In 2014 a fuel price drop began forked IdleAir pricing. IdleAir started teaming with a solar power company to supply the trucks with self generated electric energy. Transports of

frozen food Freezing food Food preservation, preserves it from the time it is prepared to the time it is eaten. Since early times, farmers, fishermen, and trappers have preserved grains and produce in unheated buildings during the winter season. Freezing foo ...

is kept on temperature by

diesel generators A diesel generator (DG) (also known as a diesel genset) is the combination of a diesel engine with an electric generator (often an alternator) to generate electrical energy. This is a specific case of an engine generator. A diesel compression ...

, powering electric reefers. The Big Boy’s Truck Stop in

Kenly, North Carolina Kenly is a town in Johnston and Wilson counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It was named for John R. Kenly, Northern Division Superintendent of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, who later became president of the railroad in 1913. The p ...

planned 24 new ATE for 2017 with estimate fuel savings up to per year. Before the completing this project, IdleAir was awarded for sustainability by the

Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) is a Cabinet-level agency first created in 1937 within the government of the U.S. state of Tennessee, headed by the Tennessee Commissioner of Environment and Conservation. Histo ...

. In August 2017, a 24-hour usage in

Laredo, Texas Laredo ( ; ) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Webb County, Texas, Webb County, on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Founded in 1755, Laredo grew from a villag ...

cost US $35 - cheaper than a motel stay or idling the engine for the legally obligated resting time of 10 hours.

References

External links

IdleAirIdle reduction information
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U.S. Department of Energy The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government that oversees U.S. national energy policy and energy production, the research and development of nuclear power, the military's nuclear we ...

EERE The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is an office within the United States Department of Energy. Formed from other energy agencies after the 1973 energy crisis, EERE is led by the Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency an ...

* NWAV8R
idleair
(An users introduction of IdleAir), YouTube, 2 August 2008 {{DEFAULTSORT:Idleaire Companies based in Knoxville, Tennessee Automotive companies of the United States Truck stops