Idle like a pro

If you’ve been itching to earn that quarterly fuel bonus, but haven’t mastered the art of low idling, we’ve got some driver-tested tips courtesy of Halvor Lines driver Paul N., who averages a lean 1% idle rate on the road. “I’ve always been concerned about idle percentage because I like to get my fuel bonus,” says Nelson, who has been driving with Halvor since 2012.

Turn off your truck
While this sounds obvious, Paul said turning off your truck should be tips 1 through 5. “I don’t find a need to run the truck when I’m parked unless it’s really cold or really hot,” says Paul. Instead he recommends that drivers…

Rely on your truck batteries
After a day on the road, Paul says his truck batteries carry enough charge to run the TV, bunk heater, microwave, fans, etc. “If you can’t make it through the night on your batteries, you need better batteries. Call the shop,” he says.

Never idle when you can plug in
Paul always plugs his truck in to shore power when he can. “If you’re parked at a terminal and there’s power available, use it. I can’t figure out why you wouldn’t take advantage of it.”

Get some fresh air
When he’s parked in an area where he feels safe, like a rest stop, Paul takes advantage of the free window screens provided in Halvor’s shops.

Monitor your idle % using Halvor’s new report
We connected with Paul after he wrote to thank Van/Reefer COO Bonnie Ramsay for the weekly idle% reports he now receives through Samsara. “I’ve always done everything I can to minimize my idle, but I never knew where I stood,” Paul said. “Now I will know where I land every week.”

Exceptions made for morning coffee
As strict as Paul is with his idle, he also makes room for exceptions. “I turn the truck on every morning to make my coffee,” he says. “I’m not going to do without that.”