California Restricts Truck Idling to Five Minutes
he California Air Resources Board said it voted on Thursday to ban heavy-duty trucks and diesel-powered buses from idling more than five minutes.
CARB said in a statement the regulation applies to more than 400,000 trucks and buses registered in California, and all out-of-state trucks and buses operating in the state.
The rule would save about one million gallons of diesel fuel each week, CARB said. It would take effect in about six months pending a technical review by the state's Office of Administrative Law, the Associated Press reported.
"Diesel operators often let their engines idle for long periods of time because of fears that their vehicles might not start well when cold or in bad weather. However, newer engine and fuel technologies have eliminated that problem," CARB said in its statement.
Both the California Trucking Association and American Trucking Associations supported the regulation, AP said. About 20 other states that restrict nonessential idling.
The responsibility for enforcement would fall to about 10 resource board teams of inspectors, the San Jose Mercury News reported. The California Highway Patrol and other agencies could issue $100 citations for violations.
CARB also said it delayed action on a second proposal to ban trucks after 2009 from idling during mandated rest periods. The proposal was based on the expectation that truck stops and truck makers will add separately powered heating and air conditioning units making night-long idling unnecessary, AP said.
