Used to hate getting feedback on my driving until a dispatcher called me out

I always thought I was a solid driver, no issues. Then this dispatcher named Rick told me I was idling my rig way too much at rest stops, like 45 minutes just sitting there. He showed me the fuel records and I was burning an extra $60 a week easy. Now I shut down the engine every time I stop for more than 10 minutes, saves me money and the planet a little lol. Anybody else get a wake-up call from a coworker that actually helped?

2 comments

2 Comments

janaw1110d ago

My husband used to leave his pickup running while he ran into the gas station for coffee and a paper. It drove me crazy. One day I timed him and it was almost 15 minutes. He finally got the message when I showed him what that cost over a month. Now he tries to shut it off and go in together so he's not wasting time or gas.

tessa_hill8610d ago

Figure out the math on how much it really costs to restart your engine, especially with modern cars that don't burn much gas just sitting there. With newer trucks, the starter and battery can handle a lot of restarts without wearing out, and it's actually worse for the engine to cool down and heat up over and over. Plus, if it's freezing cold out, leaving it running keeps the cab warm and the battery charged so you don't end up stuck with a dead battery. I'd argue that 15 minutes of idling once a day is no big deal compared to the wear from constant restarting, especially in winter. It's not about being lazy, it's about keeping your vehicle healthy and comfortable.