At any major truck stop or border crossing, there is a sound that goes unnoticed. It’s the low, constant rumble of diesel engines running through the night. Drivers keep their trucks idling to power heating, cooling, and basic amenities while they rest. It has been the industry default for decades. For the team behind IdleAir, that hum represents millions of dollars in wasted fuel, millions of tonnes of avoidable CO2, and a problem to solve.
We spoke to Ethan Garber, former CEO of Convoy Solutions, the U.S. corporate partner and investor behind IdleAir, who shared his mission to provide sustainable logistics solutions in the trucking industry and how Arpin International is making it possible.
The Origins
The origin of IdleAir is rooted in a simple piece of hardware. In its earliest U.S. incarnation, the system worked through a service module mounted on an overhead truss above each parking space. Drivers would pull nose-first into a designated bay, collect a window adapter, and fit it into the passenger-side window of the cab. The service unit–containing a card reader, touchscreen interface, USB ports, a TV, ethernet, 120V outlets, and a climate unit–would then snap in place, sealing against the window frame and turning the truck cab into a “virtual motel room.”
From inside the cab, a driver could set the thermostat, watch satellite television, connect to the internet, and power personal devices and appliances. All through a single swipe of a fuel card. No engine running, no diesel burning, and no fumes.
IdleAir, promising “Sleep better. Save money,” grew to more than 35 locations in 17 states. At less than half the cost of idling, it was an appealing proposition once drivers understood that running a truck engine overnight was costing them more than the alternative. Not to mention the health benefits.
The Numbers
The success is in the numbers. A long-haul truck engine is less than 3% efficient at converting fuel into usable energy when idling. The U.S. power grid runs at 55% efficiency. The result: IdleAir’s electric HVAC units reduce the carbon intensity of overnight climate control by 95% compared to diesel idling. When solar power enters the electricity mix, that figure drops to just 3% of the carbon footprint of a running engine.
Every 100 hours a truck uses IdleAir instead of idling eliminates one metric tonne of CO2. Ten trucks overnight equals one tonne saved. Over its operational lifetime in North America from 2005 to 2020, IdleAir helped avoid more than 50 million gallons of diesel consumption, keeping over two million tonnes of CO2 out of the atmosphere.
Taking the Mission South of the Border
The U.S. chapter is a proof of concept, but in Mexico, IdleAir’s mission takes on a different scale. At the Laredo-Nuevo Laredo corridor, the busiest commercial land crossing in the Western Hemisphere, trucks sit idle for hours, sometimes days, in extreme heat while waiting to clear customs. The environmental and human costs compound with every passing hour. Drivers breathe diesel fumes, lose sleep, and burn imported fuel in exchange for a little comfort.
IdleAir has operated in Nuevo Laredo since 2015, starting at the Transportadora EGOBA terminal with 18 spaces and growing to 72 by 2017. It became one of the company’s most consequential sites. At its peak, the facility generated 500,000 hours of idling avoidance per year. That’s 5,000 tonnes of CO2 mitigated in a single location, in a single year. Solar panels once provided 40% of total electricity before a tornado took the system offline, a setback the team is now working to rebuild with designs suited to local weather conditions.
The expansion push continues. A proposal has been submitted for the Pharr International Bridge–the second-largest interborder crossing in Texas–and a new 12-space terminal in Nuevo Laredo for fleet operator Palos Garza is in development.
Expansion of this scale doesn’t happen without committed partners who share the same vision for sustainability. Through its ESG investment program, Arpin International provided the financial foundation that allowed IdleAir to restart and grow following the disruptions of damage to solar infrastructure.
The Road Ahead
Supporting IdleAir is a bet on infrastructure that delivers emissions reductions, cost savings for fleet operations, and better conditions for the drivers who keep global supply chains in motion. The company has demonstrated that its sustainable logistics solution works across borders. With Arpin’s continued support, the next chapter is being written along the busiest trade corridors in North America. One engine switched off at a time.
