Extreme Cold Weather Truck Parking - Per Swift

All swift drivers got a message today about cold weather safety and parking. Here's part of it:

... If you will be away from your parked truck you must start your truck and idle it for approximately 2 hours for every 8 hours of the truck sitting to prevent fuel gel and no start.

So if you are going to stay in a nice toasty hotel room, you need to idle the truck for 2 hours, go back outside and shut it down, then come back in?

There's more, of course, but this part is confusing.

All swift drivers got a message today about cold weather safety and parking. Here's part of it:

... If you will be away from your parked truck you must start your truck and idle it for approximately 2 hours for every 8 hours of the truck sitting to prevent fuel gel and no start.

So if you are going to stay in a nice toasty hotel room, you need to idle the truck for 2 hours, go back outside and shut it down, then come back in?

There's more, of course, but this part is confusing.

Errol- According to Swift- it's the heat from the engine that warms up the diesel to keep it from gelling?

It made sense to me. I think it's to keep the fuel from gelling in the cold. I'm new to this so I may be wrong. I thought it was one of the more helpful messages they've sent.

Essentially yes, the heat from the engine helps keep fuel from gelling. The fuel pump will pump more fuel than the engine requires, it's part of keeping the pressure up, the unused fuel returns to the tanks through the return line making one big cycle. The constant flow and even minute rise in temperature aids in keeping gel from occurring. Many states are already selling winter blend at the pumps which has anti gel in it but it only protects down to 15-20° if I remember correctly. It's still a good idea to add anti gel when you fuel.

Robert B, that's probably right. I didn't want to hand type the whole message, but it's OK to buy anti-gel with your ComData card.

I personally probably will not have this privilege since I have a regional account that stays Ohio and South.

Robert B, that's probably right. I didn't want to hand type the whole message, but it's OK to buy anti-gel with your ComData card.

I personally probably will not have this privilege since I have a regional account that stays Ohio and South.

Unless Ohio gets hit with a good cold snap, you'll probably be ok with just the blended fuel.

El Niño is coming, and this year he's mean.

I've heard more snow for the Midwest but not as cold as the last couple winters

Keeping the truck at idle works but here's what i do every winter i buy howes fuel treatment and use it every time I fill my tanks and then also carry this stuff called diesel 911 it degels your fuel if it does end up geling up. The idle trick works fine though I have worked up north in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,Michigan and Wisconsin for a while and keeping my truck at idle works fine for me.

What are swift drivers to do in a no idle allowed state?