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Preventing Gelling with Intelligent Idling

When winter temperatures plummet, fleet operators face one of the harshest challenges in cold-weather operations: diesel fuel gelling. Gelling can immobilize vehicles, cause safety concerns, and lead to substantial downtime and maintenance costs. While proactive measures like fuel additives and winterized diesel are common, intelligent idling technology offers a modern solution to this persistent problem.

In this post, we’ll explore how diesel gelling occurs, its impact on fleet operations, and how intelligent idling technology can mitigate these risks, ensuring safer, more efficient, and cost-effective operations.

Understanding Diesel Gelling

Diesel fuel gelling occurs when paraffin wax, naturally found in diesel, solidifies in freezing temperatures. This process typically begins at a fuel’s cloud point, which is around 32°F for standard diesel, but can vary depending on the blend. The gelled wax clogs fuel filters and lines at lower temperatures, preventing fuel from reaching the engine.

Key Facts About Gelling:

  • Diesel gelling typically starts around 20°F and can fully block fuel systems at 10°F or lower
  • Fuel filters are often the first component to clog, leading to immediate engine shutdown
  • Gelling incidents result in costly repairs, towing expenses, and unplanned downtime

The Impact of Gelling on Fleets

Gelling isn’t just a seasonal challenge. It’s a critical threat to fleet efficiency and safety. Beyond the hassle of clogged fuel lines, gelling can lead to cascading operational delays, costly repairs, and heightened safety risks that compromise driver well-being and delivery timelines.

Operational Downtime

Imagine this scenario: A long-haul driver parks overnight in subzero conditions. The truck won’t start the next morning because gelled fuel has blocked the fuel lines. The vehicle is immobilized and requires roadside assistance or towing to a repair facility. For fleet managers, this means lost productivity and missed delivery schedules.

The average cost of unplanned downtime for a single truck can reach up to $1,000 per day, factoring in lost revenue and recovery expenses.
Increased Maintenance Costs

When gelling occurs, resolving the issue often involves draining and flushing the fuel system, replacing clogged filters, and, in severe cases, repairing engine components. These costs add up quickly, straining already tight budgets.

Preventable maintenance issues like gelling can account for 30% of a fleet’s annual maintenance budget.
Safety Risks

A stranded truck isn’t just a logistical problem—it’s a safety concern. Drivers can be left in hazardous conditions without reliable access to heat, fuel, or emergency services. The risk increases in remote or icy areas where response times are slower.

Traditional Solutions to Diesel Gelling

Traditional methods to combat diesel gelling have focused on prevention through additives, specialized fuel blends, and manual interventions. While these approaches can be effective, they often come with additional costs, labor demands, and inconsistencies that leave fleets vulnerable to disruptions.

Winterized Diesel and Additives

Most fleets use winterized diesel fuel, which lowers the temperature at which gelling occurs. Anti-gel additives are another common tool, preventing wax particles from solidifying in freezing conditions. While effective, these measures are not foolproof and require diligent monitoring and maintenance.

Block Heaters

Block heaters keep engines warm overnight, reducing the likelihood of gelling. However, they require access to external power sources, which isn’t always feasible for long-haul drivers or remote locations.

Manual Idling

Many fleets instruct drivers to idle their engines during cold weather to maintain fuel flow and prevent gelling. While this method works, it’s far from efficient. Excessive idling wastes fuel, increases emissions, and accelerates engine wear.

How Intelligent Idling Reduces Gelling Risks

Intelligent idling technology automates maintaining optimal engine and fuel system temperatures, eliminating the need for manual idling. By cycling the engine at precise intervals, intelligent idling keeps fuel flowing without unnecessary fuel consumption or wear on the vehicle.

Maintenance Benefits

By preventing gelling, intelligent idling minimizes the risk of emergency repairs, reduces strain on critical engine components, and extends the vehicle’s lifespan.

Cost Savings

Efficient idling drastically reduces fuel consumption compared to traditional methods, translating into significant cost savings over the winter season.

Fleets can save up to $6,000 annually per truck by reducing unnecessary idling.

Improved Safety

With intelligent idling, drivers can rest assured that their vehicles will start reliably, even in extreme weather. This reduces stress and ensures they aren’t stranded in dangerous conditions.

A Real-World Scenario

Consider a fleet driver parked overnight in Montana during a particularly harsh winter storm. Temperatures drop to -10°F, and traditional measures like anti-gel additives aren’t enough to keep the fuel from gelling.

Without intelligent idling:

  • The driver wakes to find the truck won’t start, delaying their delivery and requiring costly towing and repairs.
  • Fleet managers scramble to reroute other trucks to cover the missed shipment, increasing operational inefficiency.

With intelligent idling:

  • The system automatically cycles the engine to maintain optimal fuel temperatures, preventing gelling and ensuring a smooth start the next morning.
  • The driver safely resumes their route, avoiding delays and keeping customer commitments intact.

The Broader Impact of Intelligent Idling

Intelligent idling goes beyond reducing diesel gelling—it transforms fleet operations by enhancing fuel efficiency, reducing maintenance needs, and improving driver safety. This comprehensive approach addresses immediate challenges and long-term operational goals, positioning fleets for sustained success.

Reduced Environmental Footprint

Intelligent idling optimizes fuel consumption, reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with excessive idling.

A single truck can save approximately 1,200 gallons of fuel annually by adopting intelligent idling practices.

Enhanced Driver Retention

Reliable vehicles reduce driver frustration and downtime, contributing to job satisfaction and retention, key metrics for fleet managers in a competitive labor market.

Long-Term Operational Resilience

By integrating intelligent idling into their operations, fleets position themselves as reliable partners in industries where on-time performance and safety are critical.

Taking the Next Step Toward Winter Readiness

Diesel gelling is a preventable problem, but it requires a proactive approach. Intelligent idling is not just a technological upgrade—it’s a strategic investment in your fleet’s safety, efficiency, and profitability.

Learn more about how intelligent idling can transform your fleet’s winter operations. Schedule a call with Idle Smart today and take the first step toward operational excellence.

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Your Quick Idle Smart Coaching Guide

The Idle Smart Driver Coaching and Engagement Guide is designed...

Getting the Most Out of Your Idle Smart Systems

The Idle Smart system is designed for maximum efficiency, but even the best technology needs clear communication to work perfectly. For maintenance leaders and operations executives, maximizing the value of your investment is critical, but the biggest roadblock to realizing your full ROI is often the same: driver resistance.

When a driver raises an objection—”The truck keeps starting at night!” or “I feel out of control!”—it’s not just a complaint; it’s an opportunity. It’s a chance to stop a bad habit, start a productive conversation, and reframe the system as a tool for their personal safety and comfort.

The fleets with the highest adoption rates treat these moments not as technical issues, but as coaching opportunities. 

We created the Idle Smart Coaching and Engagement Guide to help you and your drivers get the most out of your Idle Smart investment; this blog is a sneak peek into some of the tips and tricks included in the guide. 

The Coaching Foundation: Protection, Not Policing

The most successful conversations lead with a driver-focused benefit. Frame every feature around protection, comfort, and uptime that keeps them on the road and earning.

As Sara Young, Idle Smart’s VP of Customer Success, emphasizes;

“The best-in-class fleets we work with introduce Idle Smart to their drivers before it’s even installed. They position it around driver protection and comfort, minimizing jumpstarts, keeping electronics powered all night, and maintaining a safe, comfortable cab temperature. That conversation up front makes all the difference in adoption.”

Your first step? Always start with a simple question to make the driver feel heard: “What happened?” or “What did you see on the screen?” Not only is this great for building trust, but it also helps give you context so you can provide better coaching. 

Idle Smart Coaching: Reframe The Script

This quick-reference guide, adapted from our complete coaching manual, gives your leaders the script they need to turn confusion into confidence.

Driver ObjectionYour Reframe & Coaching PointKey Benefit to Driver
“The truck keeps starting at night and wakes me up.”“Idle Smart only starts when it needs to—whether that’s to keep the cab comfortable, protect your batteries, or prevent a cold start. The short cycles save fuel compared to idling all night and make sure the truck is ready to go when you wake up.”Guaranteed Uptime and protection for sensitive equipment like CPAP machines.
“I don’t like not being in control of the engine.”“You are still in control—you have the manual kill switch for special cases. But by leaving Idle Smart on, it takes the worry off your plate and makes sure the truck is always ready when you are.”Less Stress and Worry about no-starts or dead batteries.
“The cab isn’t staying comfortable in the heat/cold.”“Idle Smart manages when the engine runs, not the vent temps. Is your HVAC set to heat or cool with the fan up? Closing your bunk curtain helps the cab stay steady all night.”Consistent Comfort for uninterrupted rest.

Leveraging Your Customer Success Team

Coaching is one piece, but you don’t have to carry the load alone.

We understand that even with the best internal training, issues can escalate. That’s why our dedicated Customer Success Managers (CSMs) are your partners in optimizing adoption and ensuring your ROI.

  • Ongoing Support: Your CSM can provide guidance on establishing parameters, integrating the system into existing workflows, and implementing incentive programs that actually motivate your drivers.
  • Deep Dive Diagnostics: If a driver reports a persistent issue that your shop can’t resolve, like repeated unexpected shutdowns or a system that won’t connect, your CSM can help your maintenance team quickly diagnose and resolve system-specific issues or VIN/activation problems.

Reinforcing good habits with Idle Smart isn’t a one-and-done deal. It requires clear communication, consistent management, and the right resources to support your drivers.

Read the Coaching and Engagement Guide for more details about reframing conversations and coaching guidance, plus get incentive ideas, get inspiration from customers, and our escalation protocol. 

Download the Free Idle Smart Coaching Guide

ATRI Releases 2025 Critical Issues Report: Is Your Fleet Prepared? Take the Self-Assessment

ATRI's 2025 Critical Issues report shows record costs demanding action....

ATRI Releases 2025 Critical Issues Report 

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) released its annual Critical Issues Report, and the verdict for 2025 is stark. The Economy is the top concern for the third year in a row, confirming that financial stability is the industry’s greatest threat. With non-fuel operational costs documenting a record high of $1.779 per mile and the truckload sector averaging a devastating negative profit margin of -2.3% in 2024, the margin for error has disappeared. This environment demands that your fleet identify and control costs wherever possible.

This year’s landscape signals an industry increasingly focused on managing complexity: from new regulatory compliance burdens to integrating emerging technologies and ensuring a trained, proficient workforce.

Do you think your fleet is handling the complexity of these top concerns well?

By asking tough questions about your day-to-day operations, this self-assessment helps you determine how ready your fleet really is. Plus, it helps you pinpoint hidden costs so your fleet can take meaningful steps toward achieving a significantly lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

The 9-Question Self-Assessment

1. How much does your fleet spend annually on roadside assistance calls due to dead batteries or cold-start failures?

Unplanned service calls are an absolute loss; pure, non-recoverable expense. As the Economy is the number one issue for the third year in a row, you can’t afford this unnecessary added expense. Breakdowns consume driver and staff resources, incur towing fees, and directly chip away at already strained profit margins.

Ask yourself:

  • What’s the total cost of towing, shop time, and labor for a single no-start event?
  • Do you have enough breakdowns that you created a budget line item just to cover roadside assistance?
  • What else could we reallocate that money for if we could stop having frequent, predictable breakdowns?

While there will always be occasional unpredictable events, there’s no reason your team should be dealing with dead batteries daily. Your drivers and technicians deserve equipment that is reliable, so drivers keep wheels turning and earning for your fleet while technicians can stay focused on their most time-sensitive, high-impact work. Eliminating no-starts from easily preventable battery drain or fuel gelling is a direct path to lowering TCO, and it might be easier than you think.

GRADE YOURSELF: PASS/FAIL

2. How much maintenance time and cost do your current solutions require that must be staffed and tracked?

Overall operational costs, excluding fuel, rose by 3.6% in 2024, continuing the upward pressure on non-fuel expenses. Routine APU servicing (recommended every 600-1000 hours) or seasonal in-shop adjustments for auto-starts contribute directly to those rising costs. This overhead pulls your precious technician time away from higher-value repairs. 

Ask yourself:

  • How much time do we track and staff just for APU oil changes, belt replacements, and cleaning HVAC systems?
  • How much could you save if even one of your key systems didn’t require maintenance (all updates can be made automatically without ever pulling a truck off the road)? 
  • Do we spend more time and money maintaining our tech (like APUs) than they actually save?

GRADE YOURSELF: Pass/Fail

3. Do you know why an engine is running, or only that it ran? 

The current economic squeeze demands a granular, strategic approach to cost management. Solutions that provide an incomplete picture leave your fleet blind: simply recording that an engine idled provides incomplete and often misleading data. Without contextual data explaining why the idling occurred (was it for battery protection, cab comfort, or driver override), any policy adjustment or coaching advice is guesswork, leading to missed fuel savings and distrustful drivers. The optimal strategy for addressing this year’s top trucking industry concern (Economy) requires high-fidelity data that answers the “why.” 

Ask yourself:

  • How much data does our current tech stack leave falling through the gaps? 
  • How confident are you that your trucks deliver reliable data for effective coaching?
  • When we see unoptimal system use, is it an efficiency problem or a driver-comfort problem?

Optimal tech solutions provide reliable, high-fidelity data on all system activity, standardizing metrics across truck makes and models, and making it easy to coach drivers. Equipping your team with this level of transparency is key to driving fleet-wide efficiency.

GRADE YOURSELF: Pass/Fail

4. Can you instantly change settings for trucks remotely, or do you need shop visits to make adjustments?

Manual, truck-by-truck adjustments are the epitome of operational inefficiency. The labor required for individual shop visits, whether for seasonal changes, compliance updates, or simply correcting a setting, becomes a persistent and avoidable source of high non-fuel costs. 

Ask yourself:

  • When we need to change the engine warm-up threshold across our fleet for winter, how many technician hours does that consume?
  • If a new regulation is passed, how long does it take for us to ensure every truck is compliant?
  • How much revenue is lost when a truck is pulled into the shop simply to change seasonal settings?

Remote adjustments that allow you to fine-tune your fleet’s settings right from your desk could save you thousands in labor and downtime. 

GRADE YOURSELF: Pass/Fail

5. Do your current solutions report and standardize key data across all truck makes and models in your fleet?

Most fleets run a diverse mix of brands. Relying on manufacturer-specific systems creates data silos, preventing a unified, single view of fleet performance. These systems often measure different metrics or restrict data access, making fleet-wide standardization and coherent policy enforcement impossible. This compromises your ability to make data-driven decisions that reduce overall TCO.

Ask yourself:

  • How many platforms do our operations leaders have to check to get a holistic view of idle activity across the fleet?
  • Are we comparing apples to apples when looking at different truck brands’ idle reports?
  • Are we missing key efficiency opportunities because a portion of our fleet’s idle data is restricted by a manufacturer?

GRADE YOURSELF: Pass/Fail

6. If tariffs (or no tariffs) became long-term policy tomorrow, how would your fleet pivot its cost management strategy?

Economic volatility and the threat of increased tariffs on truck-tractors demand operational resilience. You cannot rely on unpredictable external factors. The strategic choice is investing in solutions that deliver quantifiable, consistent cost savings that insulate your bottom line from market volatility. 

Ask yourself:

  • What single-line-item operational cost could we confidently and immediately reduce to offset a major capital expenditure increase due to Tariffs?
  • How do our current solutions protect us against non-fuel costs?

GRADE YOURSELF: Pass/Fail

7. Have you quantified the added weight and diminished payload capacity imposed by your technology (e.g., APUs)?

For fleets with razor-thin operating margins or specialized loads, every pound matters. Diesel APUs can add hundreds of pounds of essentially dead weight that cut into revenue per mile by diminishing payload capacity on every single trip.

Ask yourself:

  • For our particular operation, how many dollars in revenue are we sacrificing per trip due to added weight?
  • If we adopted a lightweight, maintenance-free system, what would the cumulative gain in payload revenue be over a quarter?

GRADE YOURSELF: Pass/Fail

8. Are you confident that your current tech is designed to extend the lifespan of your engine and components, or is it exclusively for driver comfort?

With new equipment costs at record highs, asset preservation is critical. The newly ranked concern, Diesel Emissions Regulations, makes engine and aftertreatment maintenance increasingly expensive. If things like your idle management system merely ensure comfort without protecting the engine, it’s exposing you to major risks. 

Ask yourself:

  • Does our current tech prevent component wear and tear, or does it only react when the driver is uncomfortable?
  • How much are we spending annually on DPF maintenance that could be reduced by lowering unnecessary engine runtime?
  • Are we managing a comfort system or protecting a multi-thousand-dollar asset?

GRADE YOURSELF: Pass/Fail

9. How durable is your technology, given the ever-changing landscape of emissions regulations?

As per usual, the regulatory environment is volatile, with the EPA rescinding various vehicle emission rules this year. With loose guidelines that can change at any moment, you cannot afford to invest in new tech that must be ripped out or replaced every time the rules change. Ask yourself:

  • If a new state anti-idling law is passed tomorrow, how quickly can we push a new, compliant idle setting to every truck in that region?
  • Does our current system allow us to adjust emissions-related settings remotely, or does it require a costly shop visit?
  • How are we managing idle laws for trucks, as they vary by state? 

Investing in technology that works for any regulatory environment is worthwhile and more realistic than you may think. When purchasing new technology, consider solutions that give you remote, granular control, so you can instantly update parameters fleet-wide, granting operational stability and future-proofing your business against sudden regulatory shifts.

GRADE YOURSELF: Pass/Fail

Turning Diagnostics into Savings

If you reached the end of this assessment and answered “Fail” to more questions than you answered “Pass,” or if you felt deep uncertainty about your answers, your current solutions are likely not fully mitigating the top risks outlined in the ATRI report.

The majority of problems highlighted in this self-assessment, from sudden no-starts to excessive maintenance costs, wasted fuel, and data gaps, are directly linked to predictable, preventable deficiencies in technology.

The solution to the industry’s largest concerns starts with a reliable idle management system.

Idle Smart is a platform-based solution engineered to address the top threats to your fleet by:

  • Protecting Profits: Eliminating no-starts and providing a maintenance-free solution to halt the hemorrhaging of roadside and labor costs.
  • Driving Efficiency: Offering unified, high-fidelity data and remote customization across all OEMs, allowing you to cut idle time dramatically and coach drivers effectively.
  • Future-Proofing Assets: Providing proactive engine defense to protect your high-cost engines and meet emissions goals without sacrificing driver comfort.

It’s time to equip your operation with the tools needed to weather this uncertain market.

Next Step

Connect with an Idle Smart expert and discuss your operational readiness score.

Let’s Talk

Driver Retention and TCO: The Real Cost of a Cold Night

Meta Description: Combatting driver turnover starts with a comfortable cab...

Rising Costs and Continuing Challenges

For fleet leaders, navigating the current economic landscape feels like a constant battle against climbing costs and driver retention. The data from the American Transportation Research Institute’s (ATRI) Operational Costs of Trucking report confirms what many in the industry are experiencing firsthand: while fuel prices offered some relief, the truckload sector still faced a negative average operating margin of -2.3% in 2024. In an environment where every dollar is scrutinized, the search for hidden inefficiencies is more critical than ever.

Beyond the spreadsheet, there’s a human element to these challenges: your drivers. With an average annualized driver turnover rate of 48% in 2024, the industry is in a constant battle to attract and keep talent. It’s a fight that often comes down to the simple things that happen in the cab, late at night, far from home.

What’s the connection? A cold night.

The Driver’s Reality: A Story of Frustration

It’s 2 AM, somewhere in rural America. A driver, after a long day of fighting traffic, delays, and a tight schedule, finally gets a chance to rest. The cab’s temperature has been dropping, and the bunk heater is struggling to keep up. After an hour of shivering, a decision has to be made: start the engine and idle for warmth, or endure a miserable night. For many drivers, this isn’t a rare event; it’s a frustrating, recurring problem that chips away at their morale and makes them question whether the long hours and days away from home are truly worth it.

The Financial Impact of One Bad Night

For a fleet executive, a cold night is not just a personal inconvenience; it’s a financial event. The consequences cascade, driving up your Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) in ways that often go unnoticed in a broad expense report.

  • The Breakdown: The average fleet experiences an unscheduled repair or breakdown every 38,249 miles. A major cause of this is the wear and tear from excessive idling and cold starts. When a truck won’t start on a cold morning, it can lead to mechanical failures and costly roadside service calls, which eat directly into your profits.
  • The Missed Delivery: Every minute of downtime is a minute of lost revenue. A truck sidelined by a cold start or breakdown can miss a critical delivery window, which strains customer relationships and can lead to lost business. With the industry’s total marginal cost per mile at $2.260 in 2024, every delayed mile is a measurable hit to your profitability.
  • The Added Labor Burden: In 2024, the ratio of drivers per truck was 0.93, a drop from 0.97 in 2023, signaling that carriers are already operating with fewer drivers per truck. This tight labor market means a single breakdown or delay can have an outsized impact on your operations, forcing other drivers to step in to cover a route.

The Most Expensive Cost of All: Losing a Driver

While the costs of a tow or a repair are significant, they pale in comparison to the ultimate financial consequence: losing a driver. Driver retention is a serious challenge; the cost of replacing a single driver can range from $2,243 to $20,729. This includes the expenses of recruitment, hiring, training, and lost productivity from an idle asset. The ATRI report highlights the lengths to which fleets are going to keep drivers, noting a remarkable 42.1% increase in driver retention bonuses in 2024 alone.

This is the unbreakable link between people and profit. The frustrations that contribute to a “bad night” are directly tied to the costs that erode your operational margin. Investing in your drivers is not just a gesture; it’s a strategic move to build a more resilient and profitable fleet. 

A Solution That Protects Your Drivers and Your Bottom Line

A strategic approach to fleet management requires a system that prioritizes driver comfort and operational reliability, which directly combats turnover.

This is where Idle Smart steps in. Our solutions are designed to eliminate the frustrations that lead to driver dissatisfaction.

  • Guaranteed Starts, Zero Hassle: Our features monitor the temperature and battery voltage, automatically starting the truck before voltage levels drop or temperatures get too low. It’s a key-out solution that works on its own, without requiring driver input. Idle Smart prevents no-start situations that lead to costly breakdowns and stressed, frustrated drivers.
  • Restful Nights, Every Night: Idle Smart also automatically maintains a comfortable cabin temperature, allowing drivers to get uninterrupted, restful sleep without needing to idle excessively. Plus, our system also helps charge eAPU batteries. If your drivers are getting poor sleep because their eAPUs aren’t lasting through the night, Idle Smart can help. We charge eAPU batteries when the APU battery is drained, and we don’t require the driver to get up to start the truck to do so. 
  • A Strategic Partnership: While APUs offer some of these benefits, they come with high costs, heavy weight, and significant maintenance burdens. Idle Smart provides a customizable, maintenance-free solution that integrates seamlessly with your existing Class 8 trucks and integrates seamlessly with your existing tech stack.

The Unbreakable Link: From People to Profit

The numbers are clear: a well-rested, comfortable, and satisfied driver is less likely to leave. By providing a reliable system that eliminates common frustrations like dead batteries and uncomfortable cabs, you’re building a culture that values your drivers. You’re not just reducing a line-item expense; you’re making a tangible investment in your most valuable asset.

With the average TCO per mile at $2.260 and negative operating margins for many fleets, reducing turnover is more critical than ever. Idle Smart is a simple, strategic investment that pays dividends in both tangible and intangible ways. It reduces the direct costs of roadside repairs and fuel while also addressing the root causes of driver dissatisfaction and turnover, ultimately leading to a more resilient, profitable, and efficient fleet.

Ready to invest in a solution that works for your drivers and your bottom line?

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