Winter can be a challenging time for truck drivers like you, especially if you’re an over-the-road (OTR) truck driver who has to drive across the country navigating different terrains and winter weather conditions. Breakdowns and truck issues are never fun, but they can be particularly nasty during the winter. No one wants to be out in the elements trying to fix their truck — or worse — stranded on the side of the road for hours with no heat because the truck shut down during a blizzard.

Why are there regulations and restrictions on idle time? Idle time happens when the engine is running but the truck isn’t moving. Trucks weren’t designed just to sit there not moving, so excessive idle time can be hard on the engine. Depending on how long you idle, you can do some damage to some of the systems in your semi-truck.

An auxiliary power unit, or APU, is a small diesel-powered engine attached to a semi-truck that helps control the cab temperature, charge the truck’s batteries, and warm the engine block without requiring the truck’s main engine to idle.