Why do truckers always keep their engine running, even if they stop for more than 20-30 mts. to unload/load ?

Answer 1

I'm a trucker and I will tell you. It's because some of us actually live in our trucks. You've seen the little "house" behind the cab of trucks that go up and down the highway? There is a bed and closets and sometimes even a TV in there. That space has to be kept cool. It is a small space and the sun will heat it up pretty quickly to where it's uncomfortable in there. It gets hot in there even if the truck is painted white. It gets really hot if it's painted a dark color, like navy blue or black.

Some drivers leave the engine running because they think to restart it costs more fuel than leaving it on. Not true; an engine burns zero fuel when it's off. A big diesel burns about 1.5 gallons an hour at idle. At over $3.00 per gallon, it costs about $4.50 an hour just to let it idle away, doing nothing. This is why it costs so much to ship things to you in the mail or by UPS. Just a few years ago, diesel was under a dollar a gallon. Then it went to $1.50 a gallon, then to $2.00 and now it's $3.00 or more. We thought it was high at $1.50, but now it's outrageous. A trucking company cannot absorb the cost of the fuel, so you get to pay for it when you have something brought to you on a truck. And guess what? Just about EVERYTHING comes to you on at least one truck.

Some truckers leave the engine running because they do not pay for the fuel straight out of their own pocket. But as we have seen, we all pay for it sooner or later.

Answer 2

Each will give their own reason if asked, and none of them are wrong. But to say it is easier on the engine to leave it running is wrong. I've built different makes, configurations and horsepower rated diesels over the years, and although they are made by various makers, they still have a lot of things in common.

The top compression ring is a "keystone" cut, which means it is a "V" cut that best functions at rpms over 1000. Idle speeds typically are 500 to 800 rpm. When idling the keystone ring can not properly seal against the cylinder wall nor piston crown, thereby allowing some raw fuel to slip past the rings into the crankcase mixing with oil where it dilutes it over time between changes. Hence the "white" smoke when a diesel has idled a long time then is reved in the winter time. That in turn causes accelerated wear on all internal moving engine parts: the crank, cams, piston rings, and all bearings are affected.

Some drivers leave the engine running in cold weather because the big diesels are hard to start below 28 degrees. In Alaska they run constantly in winter or they will not start until spring thaw. Diesels operate on the compression principal, that being compression of air so high it creates heat so that when fuel is sprayed into the cylinder it will ignite without spark plugs. Drivers also leave them running in hot weather to keep the cab cool when sleeping in the bunk (if so equipted), and sometimes simply to keep the driver compartment cool when they wil lbe stopped a short time in hot weather.

For what ever reason they are left running, more than a few minutes to allow cooling down of the turbo charger is neither a good idea nor policy. It does burn fuel each minute it operates and is more efficient to burn fuel while in motion. But that is also true of any engine.

Answer 3

that permits you to run the AC, warmth and each and every thing interior the truck like the television, microwave, mini refrigerator, all of that stuff will drain the batteries if the truck isn't left on also the AC and warm temperature makes it comfortable, purely way a trucker can run all those issues without the engine operating is in the adventure that they have got a generator further into the truck yet thats further weight on the truck and each and each and every pound counts on an 18 wheeler from time to time, also even as its chilly its extra acceptable for a diesel to easily save operating and idling than to save shutting it down and restarting and about the waste of gas and pressure on engine, a diesel can idle 24/7 see you later as you want it to without issues so it doesn't damage the engine also it does waste the gas yet not as a lot as you imagine it does, diesel engines actual use a lot less diesel gas even as idling than a gas engine makes use of gas even as idling, imagine about it, doesn't you truly waste gas and be comfortable interior the truck with the AC and warm temperature than be interior the truck sweating like hell or freezing chilly, also its not dangerous, its large quantities of pressure on the brakes, those round canisters have basically a huge coil spring and that tremendous spring is what holds the truck from transferring even as its parked, even as the air brakes are engaged the air isn't what keeps them in position, the air is in simple terms for utilising, the air even as transferring actual keeps the spring back, so the engaged air brakes have not something to do with the engine operating so the engine operating gained't make it extra risky

Answer 4

Different reasons not the least of which is that deisel engines don't work well if you turn them off and on. Besides, they usually live for long periods of time in small sleepers and need the engine running to operate air conditioners, heaters, refrigerators and even microwaves and sattelite tv.

Answer 5

Maintanence! It takes more energy and wear and tear to start, or re-start an big-rig, than to just let it idle. Idling, a diesel engine uses very little fuel and it cools the engine down.

Answer 6

To keep the A/C and/or heat going in their cab, so they can sleep, rest, etc while the loading/unloading occurs.

Answer 7

Because their trucks have diesel engines and its much harder on the engine to be turned off and restarted than to just be left running.

Answer 8

To save on the starting system. Lots of them overdo it though. The air should be no problem if the system has no leaks and if it does dont let Dot catch you.

Answer 9

well look at the price of starters and batteries for trucks and you will know why we keep them running all the time

Answer 10

to keep air tanks full, they need pressure to release air brakes!