2015-03-27 Idleair Press Release at MATS 2015
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IdleAir 2567 Prime Way, Suite 101 Knoxville, TN 37918 (865) 232-1700 NEWS RELEASE For immediate release March 27, 2015 Contact: Jeff Maurer, (865) 232-1700 IdleAir Press Release at the 2015 Mid-America Trucking Show LOUISVILLE, KY: Convoy Solutions, LLC celebrated its fifth anniversary operating as IdleAir since February 2010. Since resuscitating IdleAir from the ashes of a formerly terminated business, we have realized a number of milestones: IdleAir preserved a proprietary remotely managed “virtual motel” network with over 1,000 active rooms and more than 6,000 parking spaces of intact expansion capacity. The durable high voltage infrastructure we rescued had an original cost of more than $150mm and in many cases has significantly exceeded its design life with very few mechanical challenges. Since 2011 we have doubled our footprint of locations to more than 40 truckstops and fleet terminals. This month we opened the Latta, SC Flying J, which is our second solar-PV powered truckstop. We’ve also just completed construction of our first of several planned dedicated IdleAir terminals with Covenant Transport at their Headquarters and national training facility in Chattanooga, TN. IdleAir broke ground this week in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico with our first-ever operation outside of the USA with EGOBA Transportadora. We are proud to be exporting our home grown American fuel saving, carbon mitigating technology to customers anywhere in the world that IdleAir can be most impactful and profitable. We successfully launched discount pricing bundles this past year, like the now popular “40 hour Reset Special” and our 10-hour “ConvoyTV+Power™ Special”. Both these bundles cost as little as $1.25/hour while providing core offerings that include 120v power and DirecTV. Owners of bunkheaters and APUs have become repeat users of these bundles as tools for extending the operating life of their onboard investments while enjoying the peace and quiet of the IdleAir grid and in-cab Ethernet. We are also launching an expanded, overnight 12 hour discount bundled offering just for OOIDA members. This Premium HVAC service package costs $23 and includes high speed broadband (access where available) and 50 Convoy Points. With this bundle, OOIDA members will receive a 22% discount off of IdleAir’s standard retail prices. This past Winter IdleAir absorbed most of the assets and operations of the former American Idle Reduction (AIR) and we’re currently working to modify their core locations to be IdleAir enabled for handling IdleAir member card and fleet-card traffic for our 45,000+ professional driver customers. Technological Developments MediDock As part of our acquisition of AIR we are fortunate to have the MediDock anti-idling ambulance team and their proprietary pedestal technology among our portfolio of (865) 232-1700 IdleAir.com Facebook.com/IdleAir Twitter.com/IdleAir offerings. We see interesting under-penetrated idle-mitigation opportunities in the ambulance industry that parallel aspects of the trucking industry. Convoy Solutions strives to analyze driver behavior in order to maximize utilization of idle reduction technologies which save fuel and improve the health, safety, and comfort of drivers. Motorized Hose Lift We are finishing Beta tests of a motorized lift for our service modules and hoses. This lift will make it easier for drivers to insert and remove our standard window units, which weigh over 50 lbs. without the lift. Deployment of the lift assembly will also reduce maintenance costs and allow IdleAir to install electrified parking spaces in pull-thru locations which should broaden the range of parking locations we can operate on. $.99 ConvoyPower Service at Fleet Terminals All fleet terminal installations include the ConvoyPower service option of straight 120v power inside and outside of trucks. We expect to roll out “power-only” modules at select truckstop locations in Fall 2015. Mobile Customer Signup Tablet Our Technology Department is completing Beta tests of a mobile tablet unit. This handheld device will allow our truckstop staff to sign up customers, trouble-shoot hardware issues, and perform customer account maintenance outside of the IdleAir office. This capability is going to become increasingly critical as we ramp up our experimental parking reservation service at select locations. Broadband Upgrades We continue to monitor telecommunications carriers for the best bandwidth options for drivers. Currently nearly half of all our locations sport at least 10 MB of broadband access with one location already at 100 MB. High speeds combined with Ethernet connections inside our service module are a favorite of gamers and other users of streaming services. EV charging, Renewables, Grid storage IdleAir continues to expand its partnerships with purveyors of complementary technologies in the EV charging and energy storage industries. We finished our second solar-PV equipped site in 1Q 2015 and we have operated one of the first DC Fast Chargers on the NJ Interstate since 2012. Brownfield Paid Parking Opportunities IdleAir is working with municipalities in congested trucking corridors to explore the long term redevelopment of Brownfields and other underutilized properties to create safe TSE-enabled paid parking opportunities. Over the last 10 years, IdleAir and its predecessors have saved the trucking industry over 50 million gallons of diesel waste while mitigating 500,000 tonnes of CO2. About IdleAir IdleAir, a division of Convoy Solutions LLC, is the largest provider of Truck Stop Electrification (TSE) services at major travel centers, including Pilot Flying J, Love’s, Sapp Brothers, and select TravelCenters of America and Petro franchisee locations. IdleAir currently operates more than 30 travel center locations in 17 states, plus dedicated fleet terminal installations. IdleAir enables truck drivers to eliminate engine idling or running APUs while enjoying air conditioning, heating, 120V electricity, high-speed Internet, and DirecTV. At less than half the cost of idling, IdleAir helps truck drivers sleep better and save money while reducing emissions. IdleAir supports American energy independence by using homegrown electric power from domestic energy resources. # # # (865) 232-1700 IdleAir.com Facebook.com/IdleAir Twitter.com/IdleAir .