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FedEx Freight | 3 min idle cut to 2

SwampRatt

SwampRatt

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Anyone remember when the bean counters at FedEx set the trucks to shutdown after 1 min idle time? Well we convinced them THAT was a bad idea. They threw us a bone, changed it to 3 minutes. We celebrated a small but sensible win.

Fast forward to now. Seems they've quietly moved to a 2 min idle shutdown. 2 min 4 seconds for mine. This may be irrelevant for a road driver, but a city driver in real city traffic is subject to constant shutdowns. Irritating for the driver, as well as other motorists stuck behind FedEx while the light has changed to green.

Guess we are back to racetrack rules. Keep your RPMs up, ready to go... more difficult now with the auto-shift trucks.

THANK YOU FedEx, and your brilliant bean counters... <insert sarcasm >

:smilie93c peelout:
 
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Yeah I remember dealing with that iSh in the city. Always at the end of the day when I was starting to get weary and let my guard down, and traffic was at its peak, naturally.
My truck had a knack for shutting down *right* when lights turned green. Great. Key off, key on, wait for it to go through all its bleeps, bloops, and solenoid clicks before the starter would engage. Hit the key, oops, forgot to put it in neutral šŸ˜–
Finally get it going and hope the hell I still made the light. (usually didnā€™t, and neither did anyone behind me)
 
SwampRatt said:
Anyone remember when the bean counters at FedEx set the trucks to shutdown after 1 min idle time? Well we convinced them THAT was a bad idea. They threw us a bone, changed it to 3 minutes. We celebrated a small but sensible win.

Fast forward to now. Seems they've quietly moved to a 2 min idle shutdown. 2 min 4 seconds for mine. This may be irrelevant for a road driver, but a city driver in real city traffic is subject to constant shutdowns. Irritating for the driver, as well as other motorists stuck behind FedEx while the light has changed to green.

Guess we are back to racetrack rules. Keep your RPMs up, ready to go... more difficult now with the auto-shift trucks.

THANK YOU FedEx, and your brilliant bean counters... <insert sarcasm >

:smilie93c peelout:
Click to expand...
bean counters at there best
 
Triplex said:
It's not the "bean counters" making up those rules. It's the politicians in the various states and cities that made those anti-idling laws.
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Same ones responsible for the 3 & 4 minute traffic lights... whether any traffic is coming or not?

I'm not certain that politics forced a change from 3 min idle to 2. What burns more fuel, 3 min at idle, or 3 min reving the s... out of it? Rhetorical question.
 
SwampRatt said:
Same ones responsible for the 3 & 4 minute traffic lights... whether any traffic is coming or not?

I'm not certain that politics forced a change from 3 min idle to 2. What burns more fuel, 3 min at idle, or 3 min reving the s... out of it? Rhetorical question.
Click to expand...
Politicians are the ones making all the laws - proposing congestion pricing in NYC, proposing dropping the speed limit to 20 mph in NYC, etc., etc. Drill down deep enough and it's politicians doing all of that. No one ever said a politician had to be smart.
 
SwampRatt said:
I'm not certain that politics forced a change from 3 min idle to 2. What burns more fuel, 3 min at idle, or 3 min reving the s... out of it? Rhetorical question.
Click to expand...
Hey Swamp!!!

The fact that there's an easy work-around that has an impact worse than the problem the rule is trying to solve, should all but assure you that the change was driven by a politician. Can't buy a 24oz soda in NY, but you can buy 24-12oz ones.
 
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EX396 said:
Hey Swamp!!!

The fact that there's an easy work-around that has an impact worse than the problem the rule is trying to solve, should all but assure you that the change was driven by a politician. Can't buy a 24oz soda in NY, but you can buy 24-12oz ones.
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Hey Ex!

While I agree with your premise, I'm not ready to let FedEx off the hook (as you might expect). I've not yet found a single State or municipality allowing less than 3 minutes idle time. The small few with zero allowed, I'm discounting as unenforceable.

Granted, probably not the most current list, but I'm not spending too much time looking.
cdllife.com

Idling Laws By State

Idling laws tend to differ greatly across the United States, and can be a little tricky to remember (especially in states with larger, harshly regulated cities)! Check out this quick reference map to find idling laws fast!
cdllife.com cdllife.com
idletime-law---by-state.md.png

FedEx, back to creating disgruntled drivers on a regular basis? Seems to be...

:smilie93c peelout:

I
 
In DM Bowman Days we had tripmaster computers in the cab. It tracked idle time.

So company policy kill engine at red lights. Start at green. We had air starts that could not be broken by 16 hours of starting and stopping per day.

Today I deliberately hold on to my older vehicles that do not ecoquit at lights like the modern ones do.

The beancounters need to get laid. They can go **** themselves.
 
SwampRatt said:
Hey Ex!

While I agree with your premise, I'm not ready to let FedEx off the hook (as you might expect). I've not yet found a single State or municipality allowing less than 3 minutes idle time. The small few with zero allowed, I'm discounting as unenforceable.

Granted, probably not the most current list, but I'm not spending too much time looking.
cdllife.com

Idling Laws By State

Idling laws tend to differ greatly across the United States, and can be a little tricky to remember (especially in states with larger, harshly regulated cities)! Check out this quick reference map to find idling laws fast!
cdllife.com cdllife.com
idletime-law---by-state.md.png

FedEx, back to creating disgruntled drivers on a regular basis? Seems to be...

:smilie93c peelout:

I
Click to expand...
As someone in CT, the law is so vague on it. It basically says no idling unless you need to idleā€¦. Like really? Do you think Iā€™m going to idle a vehicle for the fun of it?
 
If they want to play the idle game just give it enough gas at the light to cancel the timer. Brakes and other components be damned.

Just like I've got following videos for gently trying to get away from someone. nope. not anymore. gonna cook them brakes the rest of my career now.
 
Look out next time we talk about avoiding driving distractions. Only a couple things can be more distracting than the truck cutting off. In cab distractions? The WHOLE CAB is an array of distrations...

Not that big of a deal, but certainly can be a trigger when combined with all the other little (and medium) things

Sorry if I'm becoming disgruntled over some of the doublespeak nonsense (again?). I'll switch to don't care soon enough...
:smilie93c peelout:
 
Maybe the bean counters think it is cheaper to replace more truck starters yearly than letting them idle ?? But then they should also shut down the office air conditioning after 2 minutes to then and have motion senors on all the office & dock & bathroom lights to shut off when nobody in room too !:6788:
 
SwampRatt said:
Anyone remember when the bean counters at FedEx set the trucks to shutdown after 1 min idle time? Well we convinced them THAT was a bad idea. They threw us a bone, changed it to 3 minutes. We celebrated a small but sensible win.

Fast forward to now. Seems they've quietly moved to a 2 min idle shutdown. 2 min 4 seconds for mine. This may be irrelevant for a road driver, but a city driver in real city traffic is subject to constant shutdowns. Irritating for the driver, as well as other motorists stuck behind FedEx while the light has changed to green.

Guess we are back to racetrack rules. Keep your RPMs up, ready to go... more difficult now with the auto-shift trucks.

THANK YOU FedEx, and your brilliant bean counters... <insert sarcasm >

:smilie93c peelout:
Click to expand...
That will help you guys get to your lunch break quicker too
 
Gator said:
I got caught in a construction zone with a starter cool down mode from restarting the truck a few times . Held traffic at a standstill for 15 minutes till it reset. Itā€™s an asinine policy unless the brakes are pulled.
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I bet you were a "happy camper" <insert sarcasm >.
 
had a new tractor that shut down in a construction zone . had to keep restarting, not knowing what to do about the shutdown, i stopped at the Cat dealer that sets the parameters on the tractors for our fleet at the time. and the tech told me to dump the clutch 3 times and it would keep idling. Pissed off the head mechanic when i came back to yard and left the tractor running in front of shop
 
SwampRatt said:
Look out next time we talk about avoiding driving distractions. Only a couple things can be more distracting than the truck cutting off. In cab distractions? The WHOLE CAB is an array of distrations...

Not that big of a deal, but certainly can be a trigger when combined with all the other little (and medium) things

Sorry if I'm becoming disgruntled over some of the doublespeak nonsense (again?). I'll switch to don't care soon enough...
:smilie93c peelout:
Click to expand...
I think most have already switched to DON'T CARE around here for just about everything
 
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