At a North Carolina truck stop, we found CabAire (a subsidiary of Control Module Industries), an anti-idling or truck electrification solution that their website at one time described as “stationary anti-idling, idle reduction, and emission monitoring systems.”(1)
Their website describes the set-up this way: “By attaching the window unit to their truck cabin window, truck drivers can obtain UV filtered air, heating, air conditioning, power, internet, cable, and intercom communications.”
Up until this point, Vicki had only personally seen a truck stop type of stationary idling alternative that was quite large.
These, on the other hand, were smaller units installed at the intersection of every other parking space, each one able to serve two trucks.
A close up of one of the units shows the cabinet with air tubes hanging beneath, a light and a camera. (At least, these are the components we see and recognize.)
One page of their website used to list a bunch of security features associated with using their service.(2)
We did not find a description in words of their having become an EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) SmartWay transportation partner, even though an image on the site suggests this and the Industry Affiliations paragraph of Control Module Industries’ Wikipedia page says that the subsidiary is this and is a NATSO (National Association of Truck Stop Owners) member.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_Module_Industries#Industry_Affiliations (no longer online)
The following two photos show a couple of labels from one of the units on the premises.
The first shows an identification number, model number, manufacture date and electrical information.
The second shows another identification number and a declaration that the equipment has been field evaluated.
Mike held up the unit (left) to show its “service center,” a close-up of the touchpad part of which is below.
At the bottom, there are two outlets for 115vac/20 amp power and an “outlet” each for Internet and Cable TV.
The touchpad has sensors for AC, Heat, Fan, Info, Pay and more.
In the listing of environmental benefits that used to be on their site was “100% detection of idling vehicles” and “Enforced anti-idling rules.”(3)
This makes us wonder if a driver who chose not to use their service would face unpleasant consequences for idling in one of the spaces where this service is available.
We do not recall if the truck stop where we saw this service had spaces for large trucks where service modules were not installed.
We previously covered the issue of idling, including giving a link to a calculator to determine how expensive it
is to idle a large truck and providing anti-idling alternatives for drivers of commercial motor vehicles.
The service described on this page is one such alternative.
For what it’s worth, the name of this anti idling truck electrification solution is spelled with an “e” on the end of its name — “CabAire” — although drivers may be inclined to spell it
- either “CabAir” (without a trailing “e”)
- or “Cab Aire” (separating the words).
If you are a professional truck driver and you have used the CabAire Truck Electrification Solution within the last 6 months, we invite you to review it on this page through the form below, answering questions such as these:
- Where did you use the service and for how long?
- What services did you use and how well did they work?
- How would you rate the quality and money saving ability of the service?
- Do you think the service was worth the price you paid for it?
- Would you use this service again and why?
Return from Review of CabAire Truck Electrification Solutions by Truckers to our Service Reviews page or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.
References:
1. www.controlmod.com/cabaire/ (no longer online)
2. www.controlmod.com/cabaire/truck-drivers/ (no longer online)
3. www.controlmod.com/cabaire/environment/ (no longer online)
