In The News

Pennsylvania OK’s ‘anti-idling’ rule

A new law in Pennsylvania is intended to reduce unnecessary idling of large trucks throughout the state. In most instances, drivers idling their trucks while sleeping or resting are exempt from the rule. It takes effect Feb. 9, 2009.

Idling rules already are in place in Allegheny County and the city of Philadelphia.

Gov. Ed Rendell signed into law a bill – SB295 – that imposes idling limits statewide. Diesel-powered vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds will be limited to idling for no more than five minutes per hour. Violators would face fines between $150 and $300.

Affected trucks will be exempted from the time limit rule when temperatures are lower than 40 degrees or higher than 75 degrees. The exception applies only at locations where trucks are legally permitted to park, including truck terminals, truck stops and rest areas – as long as idle reduction technology is unavailable.

While loading or unloading, idling is allowed for up to 15 minutes in a 60-minute period, when necessary.

The temperature exemption expires May 1, 2010. At that time, it is expected that idle reduction technology will be more widely available.

Supporters say that excessive truck idling is extremely detrimental to the state’s air quality. They are hopeful the proposed restrictions will help make cleaner air more widely available throughout the state.

“Idling more vehicles needlessly wastes hundreds of millions of gallons of diesel fuel … By enacting this restriction, we will save fossil fuel and make Pennsylvania less energy dependent,” Sen. Pat Browne, R-Lehigh, said in a written statement.

A provision added to the bill, which clarifies who is responsible for paying fines, was welcome news to advocates for the trucking industry.

Mike Joyce, director of legislative affairs for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, said the association offered testimony during the legislative process that stressed the need to see responsibility for idling violations placed on vehicle owners, as well as operators. In addition, owners or operators of locations where vehicles load and unload will also face fines for violations.

“It is good to see that the legislation recognizes that the ‘owners’ of vehicle, and ‘owners’ of shipping facilities, bear a certain amount of responsibility when it comes to the fines that will be levied in the case of a violation,” Joyce told Land Line Magazine.

Joyce also said that while some truck drivers use APUs, few motor carriers invest in the technology.

“An employee driver has no say in the economic decision of whether to purchase and install these technologies on company-owned equipment,” he said.

Exceptions to the rule also include situations when vehicles are stuck in traffic, when required by law enforcement to stop, or when idling is necessary “to operate defrosters, heaters, air conditioners or cargo refrigeration equipment.”

In addition, idling restrictions will not apply to trucks that exhibit a label “issued by the California Air Resources Board” that shows the vehicle’s engine meets the optional NOx idling emission standard.

There may be some legislative cleanup on the new regulation as CARB doesn’t issue the stickers. Truckers actually get the stickers from OEM dealers for engines on CARB’s clean idle list.

One other provision increases the maximum gross vehicle, axle, tandem or bridge formula weight limits for trucks equipped with idle reduction technology. It authorizes affected trucks to weigh up to an additional 400 pounds.

Joyce said that with the new idling limits on the horizon in Pennsylvania it’s important for the state to ensure availability to incentive programs for small-business truckers to easily purchase idle reduction technologies.

To view other legislative activities of interest for Pennsylvania in 2008, click here.

[email protected]