You  HOLD THE  KEY—
                                                                                                                                                REDUCE  POLLUTION

                                                                                                                                                  AND  SAVE  MONEY
                           WHAT You SHOULD  KNOW
       HAT CAN
 YOU  DO?

       Turn  off your
   engine when your
    vehicle is not in
motion  and you will:
          Save money
         Use less fuel
   Reduce engine wear
          Follow  the
         Connecticut
      anti-idling rule

         Use  proven
        technologies
            such  as:
        Electric engine
    heaters to minimize
        warm-uptime
       Auxiliary power
       units to provide
        electric power
                                   ABOUT  TRUCK   AND    BUS    ENGINE    IDLING
Diesel engines in trucks
and buses play an important
          role in transport-
          ing  goods, ser-
          vices, and people
          nationwide. How-
          ever,  there is
          growing concern
          about the health
          effects associ-
     i    ated with expo-
          sure  to diesel
          exhaust.

Diesel exhaust affects every-
one, but people with heart or
lung disease, asthma or other
respiratory problems are most
sensitive to the small particles
in diesel exhaust. Fortunately,
new emission standards and
new technology are helping to
ensure that the cleaner
diesel engines of the future will
dramatically  lower  these
health risks.

If you drive a diesel vehicle,
the first thing  you  can  do
now to save money and
reduce air pollution is stop
idling.  Idling for extended
periods of time  generates
significant amounts of diesel
exhaust-and air pollution.
It also  wastes fuel,  causes
excessive engine  wear, and
poses health risks to every-
one including drivers. In Con-
necticut, a state  regualtion
limits idling time.
THE   CONNECTICUT
ANTI-IDLING   RULE
Connecticut regulation (Sec. 22a-174-18 (a)(5)) prohibits
the operation of any motor vehicle for more than three
consecutive minutes except:
•  When forced to remain  motionless  because  of traffic
   conditions or mechanical difficulties over which the operator
   has no control,
•  When it is necessary to operate heating, cooling or auxiliary
   equipment necessary to accomplish the intended use of
   the vehicle,
•  To bring the engine to the manufacturer's recommended
   operating temperature,
•  When the outdoor temperature is below 20°F, or
•  When the vehicle is being repaired.

Drivers and/or companies who violate this anti-idling rule
may be  subject to enforcement actions  and fines of up to
$25,000  per day issued by state agencies and up to $27,500
in  civil  penalties per violation  imposed  by the federal
government.

WHAT  ARE  SOME  OF  THE
PROBLEMS  ASSOCIATED
WITH   IDLING?
IDLING  CAUSES POLLUTION
•  Idling vehicles emit significant amounts of pollution
   including: carbon dioxide (CO  contributes to global climate
   change);  nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds
   (NOx and VOCs contribute to the formation  of ozone smog);
   poisonous carbon monoxide; and particulate matter (PM
   contributes to asthma, heart disease, lung damage, and
   possibly cancer.

IDLING  WASTES FUEL AND  MONEY
AND  CAUSES  EXCESSIVE
ENGINE WEAR
•  A typical truck burns about a  gallon of diesel fuel for each
   hour it idles. If a truck idles for 6 hours per day, operating
   300 days a year, it would consume more than 1,800 gallons
  of fuel per year—just idling. At $1.25 per gallon of diesel,
  this would  add over $2,250 to the truck's annual
  operating cost.

• Running an  engine at low speed (idling) causes twice
  the wear on internal parts compared to driving at regular
  speeds. The American Trucking Association estimates
  that this can shorten the life of the engine and increase
  maintenance costs by $2,000 per year.

• It is more fuel efficient to turn off your engine than to
  idle. Fuel consumption during engine start-up is equal to
  about 30 seconds of engine idling if the engine is within
  normal operating temperature.

 IDLING  POSES  HEALTH  RISKS TO
 EVERYONE  INCLUDING DRIVERS
• While sitting in an idling vehicle, drivers are exposed to
  the vehicle's pollution more so than when the vehicle is
  in motion since there is no airflow to vent the emissions.

TIPS  FOR  DWNERS  AND
OPERATORS  OF   DIESEL
VEHICLES
 INITIAL STARTING/WARM-UP TIME
Most engine manufacturers recommend that newer engines
run for roughly 3-5 minutes before driving.  In colder climates,
block heaters are a  good alternative to excessive idling. They
plug into electrical outlets and help warm the engine to avoid
starting difficulties.

 RESTARTING
Most newer diesel  engines, when properly maintained, will
not have starting difficulties and do not need to  idle for long
periods of time in order to restart. Older vehicles may have
more difficulty restarting, but don't assume new engines
should be operated  like older ones. Check the manufacturer's
recommendations.

-------
PROBLEMS

ASSOCIATED
IDLING
     fuel and money
     excessive engine
     air pollution


O  Pollution from
     idling poses health
     risks to drivers
 FUEL  GELLING
In recent years, refiners have
worked to resolve the problem
of diesel fuel gelling. They have
created special winter blends
that better withstand colder
temperatures.

AUXILIARY
 POWER  UNITS
Installing a small generator,
or auxiliary power unit, that
provides heat, air conditioning,
and/or electrical power while
the vehicle is not  in motion
can save up to 95 percent of
the fuel used during idling,
saving you money and creat-
ing less air pollution. Depend-
ing on the amount of time spent
idling each year the payback
on these devices can be one
to two years. For more infor-
mation about idle control tech-
nology, visit:  www.epa.gov/
otaq/retrofit/idlingtech.htm.

 NEW VEHICLES
When buying new equipment,
purchase engines already
equipped with devices that
minimize idling and warm-up
time automatically.
EXTRA TIPS  FOR  DWNERS
AND   OPERATORS  OF
DIESEL  BUSES
PASSENGER COMFORT
Depending on the weather, many buses will maintain a comfort-
able interior temperature for a while without idling. However,
bus owners may want to consider installing auxiliary power units
to maintain comfortable interior temperatures without idling.

WAITING FOR PASSENGERS
In most cases, the three minutes of idling allowed under state
law is enough to ensure that passengers will be comfortable
when they reach their seats. Because many newer buses are
equipped with  air  conditioning  and windows that do not
open, buses that do not have auxiliary power  units  must
run their engines at some
point to  supply  ventilation
and climate control.  But out
of habit, some drivers leave
their  vehicles running for
the  entire waiting period.
It is better  to shut the
engine down between drop
off and pick up times.
Letting an engine idle does
more damage to the engine
than starting and stopping.
                            Most engine manufacturers
                            recommend  that  newer
                            engines  run  for just  3-5
                            minutes  before and after
                            driving.
                            Many buses will maintain
                            a comfortable interior
                            temperature for a  while
                            without idling.
                                                                 Visit our website at www.epa.gov/ne/eco/diesel
                                                                     United States
                                                                     Environmental Protection
                                                                     Agency New England
                                                                EPA-901-F-04-004A
                                                                February 2004
                                                                y printed on 100% recycled paper, with a minimum of
                                                                50% post consumer waste, using vegetable based inks
                                                                                                                                     CONNECTICUT  EDITION
                                                                                                                                   REDUCE POLLUTION
                                                                                                                                       AND   SAVE MONEY
                                     You   HOLD  THE  KEY-
WHAT  You  SHOULD
KNOW  ABOUT

TRUCKAND  BUS
ENGINE   IDLING
                                                                                                                               United States
                                                                                                                               Environmental Protection
                                                                                                                               Agency New England

-------