In a site visit to IdleAire’s Denver facility last year, we were impressed with the “provider of comprehensive in-cab idle reduction and driver lifestyle services to the long-haul trucking industry.” But the company couldn’t make it through the recession and, as of January 29th, went bankrupt. The company provided a place where truck drivers could park, shut off the engine (along with its noise, fumes and vibration) and still stay warm or cool while having access to the comforts of home. Providing a comfortable place for drivers to rest while reducing pollution from idling trucks, we praised the company for taking a triple bottom line approach to business. But, as they say on their website, the challenges of the recession were too great to overcome:

Due to the economy, our customers had less freight to haul, resulting in reduced truck traffic. [We also] have had extremely mild weather across the nation, reducing the demand for our climate control service. We continued to stay ahead of the financial issues and make adjustments as needed, but time and operating capital simply ran out.

In their short history, the company states that “the use of IdleAire service contributed to saving over 50 million gallons of diesel fuel and prevented over 1.1 billion pounds of diesel idling emissions from entering the air. IdleAire also…[prevented] over 519,000 metric tons of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere.”

It is our hope that for every innovative company that dies trying to make a difference as we move toward sustainability another one will rise in its place. It is through such creative destruction that we progress. It is with sadness, however, that we designate IdleAire as the first business we’ve covered that is now in the company graveyard.

- Justin Manger

[R.I.P Image]

[IdleAire Image]