Fleets that are serious about keeping and recruiting good drivers and reducing engine idling are installing power inverters on their trucks. That’s the message Xantrex Technology will be delivering in an upcoming free live Web seminar. The Tuesday, Sept. 26 webinar will look at who is buying inverters and what they are used for, types of inverters and how to choose the right one, and key differences between consumer market inverters and those designed for heavy-duty truck use.
“We’re seeing more and more fleets spec inverters for all of their trucks,” says Brian Lawrence, commercial vehicle sales manager for Vancouver, B.C.-based Xantrex, who will present the online seminar. “Sales of inverters installed as a factory option grew 25 percent annually through 2005, and sales are growing at a similar rate for the aftermarket. It’s clear that truck drivers want AC power in their trucks.”
Lawrence said many truck operations view inverters as a necessary recruitment tool for attracting good drivers. Driver turnover among large truckload carriers was calculated at 110 percent in this year’s second quarter, according to the American Trucking Associations. “Trucking companies believe installing inverters on their trucks gives them a competitive advantage,” Lawrence says.
Inverters can play a major role in improving driver comfort on the road. With AC power, drivers can use microwaves and hotplates to cook healthy meals and save on food costs; provide themselves with entertainment by powering televisions, laptop computers and CD players; and run space heaters to reduce idling, according to Lawrence. “Sleep apnea is also a problem for many drivers, and fleets are installing inverters to power CPAP machines,” he says .
Xantrex’s webinar will be offered Tuesday, Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Pacific Time. The presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session. Those attending must pre-register at http://r.vresp.com/?XantrexTechnology/232c93750b/693976/de5887eee9/9f26524. For information about registration, contact James Van Dyk at Xantrex at (604) 422-2627 or online at [email protected]. He also can answer questions about required software for accessing the Web presentation.
