Indeed, we genuinely attempted to install piping for air conditioning, DirecTV, and internet into semi trucks using large tubes.

      Some concepts may seem excellent in theory but fail in reality. This could be said about numerous innovations, such as algorithms that are supposed to show me exciting car videos but instead inundate my feed with targeted ads for dubious men’s grooming products. However, that's not the topic at hand—I want to discuss IdleAir, a company that aimed to bring hotel comforts to truckers inside their sleeper cabs. It was one of those ideas that, while appealing on paper, was destined to fail in practice.

      If you held a driver’s license in the 2000s, you may have encountered IdleAir stations at truck stops throughout the U.S. They provided extra semi parking and featured metal structures overhead with yellow tubes hanging down, resembling HVAC ducts, which they partly were. IdleAir offered services including in-cab heating and air conditioning, along with two 110-volt electrical outlets, DirecTV, a phone connection, and an ethernet port. This was quite impressive for that era.

      The close-up photo of the IdleAir interface illustrates what was available to truckers. On the right-hand panel, you can see the electrical outlets, with the ethernet port above and the phone connection below. The HVAC vent, controlled by the screen on the left-hand panel, took up much of the space. It was here that you could adjust the thermostat, access about 45 satellite TV channels, and reportedly browse the internet.

      The main goal was to offer drivers amenities so they wouldn't need to leave their trucks or abandon their loads. Additionally, it had an environmental purpose, as truckers no longer needed to keep their engines running overnight (or when they slept) for heat and air conditioning. This was IdleAir's primary selling point, and the company claimed its stations saved millions of gallons of diesel from being consumed over time.

      According to IdleAir's website, its services consumed only 10% of the energy of an idling diesel engine. The company stated that its stations had “saved millions of tons of harmful emissions from polluting our environment and contributing to climate change.” Unlike the auxiliary power units (APUs) commonly used by truckers, IdleAir equipment operated on "American energy resources like coal, gas, and wind," rather than "foreign diesel."

      However, there was a significant drawback. One of the main complaints from those who discussed IdleAir online was that it made trucks smell bad.

      While it would be unfair to imply that most truckers lack hygiene, it wouldn't be accurate to say they are all perfectly clean. Just one not-so-fresh driver could contaminate the IdleAir system with smelly cabs and cigarette smoke, affecting the next user. The company’s FAQ attempted to tackle this by stating, “IdleAir now employs hotel-grade smoke elimination technology at each of our locations. Regular cleaning and maintenance ensure you receive fresh, clean air every time you connect.” This suggests that there was a time when such technology was not available; still, I'm not convinced it worked well based on the reviews.

      Costs differed by location, but a pricing sheet from 2018 indicated fees ranging from $2.30 to $2.40 per hour at each of its 32 operational stations at that time. This fee included HVAC, electricity, DIRECTV, and basic internet. Accessories like a wireless keyboard for $35, a wireless mouse for $13, and a 12-foot indoor extension cord for $10 were also available. Whether paying for this to avoid sleeping in a dirty motel was worth it was subjective, but many seemed unable to overlook the smell.

      IdleAir's history is tumultuous, marked by a bankruptcy filing in 2010. The company was subsequently purchased by Convoy Solutions, which expanded its number of locations around 2013. Yet, the IdleAir website appeared to go inactive in March 2020 when the company announced the launch of a new phone app. The timing was unfortunate, coinciding with the onset of the COVID pandemic, which disrupted supply chains and complicated travel, even for truckers.

      There's no information online indicating that IdleAir has permanently shut down—at least none that I could find. However, the official website has remained silent for five years, and there have been no updates on its social media since 2019. The “find locations” feature is nonfunctional, and reports from 2018 noted the closure of at least two stations in Tennessee and Georgia. I called the customer support number listed, as well as the one for Convoy Solutions' corporate office, during the stated business hours but received no response.

      I left my name and number in case there is someone on the other end, but if the situation is as it appears, I may wait indefinitely for a reply.