Truck Idling for Many Hours, The Costs and Damage: Get All the Answers
When your truck idles for many hours, the costs and damage can cause a hole in your business finances. In fact, recent audits suggest that just one hour of idling can equate to a staggering 40 kilometres of serious engine wear. So not only is fuel being wasted, but funds are also poured into untimely maintenance.
Long-time idling might seem necessary to your drivers when they’re trying to stay warm on long trips. What they might not know is that they’re speedrunning internal vehicle damage, oil degradation, and costly exhaust system damage from build-up. Keep reading below to learn more.
1. Is it bad to idle overnight with your truck?
Yes, it’s generally considered bad to idle overnight with your truck. More than anything, you’re wasting your greatest business expense: fuel. It’s also important to note that harmful carbon emission levels increase, you’re wearing down your truck's engine & general internal system, and you risk contaminating your fuel (because it won’t burn optimally, diluting your engine oil).
2. What is considered excessive idling for a diesel truck?
According to We Are Check, letting a diesel truck idle for more than 3 minutes is considered excessive. This is in line with many modern trucks which have software that will cut the car’s power if the truck has been running stationary for that long.
3. How much diesel do you waste when you idle overnight?
When you idle overnight, you waste anywhere between half a litre and 4 litres per hour! The actual amount of fuel wasted depends on the make and model of the car and its fuel consumption levels. It also depends on the why: keeping the cab warm or using the aircon will drive the fuel use up.
4. Do you damage your truck's engine if you idle excessively?
Yes, you do damage your truck’s engine if you idle excessively. You’re putting added pressure on the vehicle while it's stationary, which leads to wear and tear. You also risk fuel contamination, build-up of carbon in the engine, and hot gas sifting into other internal parts of the vehicle.
5. How can I prevent my truck drivers from idling?
You can prevent your truck drivers from idling by:
Introducing a fleet management software (FMS), which gives you insight into historical data (helping you spot long idling periods), and also optimises routes
AI-powered cameras that identify distraction-related events and encourage coaching
Clear, outlined company protocols, which inform drivers about truck driving etiquette
6. Does Cartrack's fleet system help with alerting fleet owners if a truck is idling too long?
Yes, Cartrack’s fleet system does help with alerting fleet owners if a truck is idling too long, especially with customised parameters. This way, you’ll get instant alerts if any of your trucks exceed the set limits. For example, if your parameters are a maximum of 5 idling minutes and the truck idles for longer than that, you’ll immediately be notified.
7. Does idling really consume a lot of fuel?
Yes, idling really does consume a lot of fuel, especially when you consider that starting a truck up typically uses far less fuel than keeping it running. When a truck is running, it’s continually burning fuel even if it’s not moving or being used to accelerate, making it an exceptionally wasteful cost in the long run.
8. What are the biggest expenses of owning a truck?
The biggest expenses of owning a truck are:
Fuel (which is typically the highest cost for almost all fleets)
Regular maintenance
TCO (total cost of ownership, which includes vehicle financing, insurance, depreciation, and other running costs)
9. How long does diesel last if I store it for later use?
Diesel lasts anywhere from about a year to 2 years when you store it for later use. But the key is storing it correctly. The space it’s stored in must be cool & dry, the containers must be clean and made of the right materials, and storage must be airtight to avoid bacterial growth.
10. How can I monitor diesel theft in my trucks?
You can monitor diesel theft in your trucks by using fuel sensors that are connected to live GPS tracking and an FMS. With this setup, you can clearly monitor fuel use and identify when there are unexplained drops in fuel levels (which can suggest syphoning or fuel theft). You can also compare fuel receipts with trip reports and distance travelled to confirm your suspicions.
11. How long should you warm up a diesel engine before driving?
You should only warm up a diesel engine for a maximum of 2 minutes before driving. Most modern engines don’t need an excessive amount of time to get the vehicle warmed up, but your drivers must drive off slowly and carefully, maintaining a gentle start before picking up the pace.
