The Tennessee-based company, which opened in June 2000, employed 315 people and had 131 locations in 34 states, including a 72-space operation at the Petro Stopping Center in Middlesex Township.
IdleAire provided filtered heating and air conditioning, electrical outlets, and a range of communications and entertainment options that allowed long-haul truck drivers to shut down their engines instead of idling for cab comfort during daily rest periods. More than 150,000 professional drivers and more than 1,000 fleets were actively using IdleAire services, the company said in a statement posted on its Web site.
A spokesperson could not be reached for further comment.
The company statement said IdleAire officials were disappointed the company was forced to cease operations. Ownership said Knoxville employees were notified in November that layoffs were possible.
“We truly wish we could continue to serve our great customers and this industry,” it said. “We hope you will work with other idle reduction technologies and companies to continue to save fuel, reduce emissions, and improve your sleep and health.”
IdleAire was owned by six investment management companies who were unable to find a buyer for its assets after the company filed for bankruptcy protection May 12.
The company said its service contributed to savings of more than 50 million gallons of diesel fuel and prevented more than 1.1 billion pounds of idling emissions from entering the air.
‘Unfortunate’
No one from management was available Friday afternoon at the Middlesex Petro.
Tom Liutkus, director of advertising and public relations for Travel Centers of America, which owns Petro, said the company is “seeking to get more information” from IdleAire regarding its equipment.
IdleAire had been at the local Petro since June 2006. At that time, the company had just 38 locations.
Drivers paid $10 for a plastic window retrofit to accommodate the IdleAire hookup. The cost to use the system was $2.89 per hour for silver members and $2.45 per hour for gold members.
As of a July 2009 story about anti-idling legislation, a site supervisor said IdleAire was meeting its local capacity, noting an influx over the summer months because many companies don’t want to pay to fix air conditioning units that break down on their trucks.
The service reportedly helped increase and maintain the value of a truck over a longer period of time because it was not idling.
“We think it’s very unfortunate,” said Thomas Au, current president of the Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania.
Au said he wasn’t too surprised because he knew the company was being reorganized and that it might be sold.
“Maybe someone will step forward and purchase the equipment,” he said, also hopeful that other technologies available for truck stop electrification will come to the area.
By Jason Scott, Sentinel
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3 FANS!:
So strange that you posted this. I pass a very large truck stop every day on my way to and from work. Yesterday I looked over at the parked trucks and didn't see a single yellow tube hanging down and wondered about it. This is really going to change things for truckers in a big, big way. Wow!
That's really too bad.
I used to work for TCH and I remember when we started authorizing IdleAire. It's really too bad they didn't find a buyer. It's really a great idea.
What a loss for truckers!
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