United States and Canada

Until recently, diesel truck idling has been standard operating procedure. But stricter idling regulations are becoming more common in many regions, and more rules are guaranteed. This guide explains the situation and offers a summary of current idling regulations so you won't be caught off-guard.

Download Idle Talk: How the New Regulations Affect You  (877 KB). A U.S. state-by-state overview of regulations and a list of Canadian regulations.

New Information, Legislation and Better Alternatives

• Engine wear and tear. Fleet owners who track idling time discover that engines designed for moving heavy loads at highway speeds often spend around 50% of their life running systems that require a small fraction of their muscle. Idling a heavy duty diesel engine to operate lights and an air conditioner drives higher fuel and maintenance costs.
• Fuel costs. High-priced diesel fuel makes extended idling a high-cost activity worth reducing. A large idling diesel engine can consume up to 1.5 gallons per hour.
• Regulation. Some people are sensitive to the exhaust that idling diesel engines can produce. Large engines at idle also make a low-frequency rumbling sound that many find objectionable. Under certain conditions, these residual effects of idling could be considered public nuisances making further regulation inevitable.
• Alternatives. Auxiliary power units (APUs), such as the Cummins ComfortGuard APU System, can provide a far less expensive, dependable source of energy for equipment used by a resting or parked trucker, thereby virtually eliminating the need for idling.

The Chaos of Local Regulation

Today, state, provincial and local governments are creating idling legislation at an increasing rate. Some argue that federal-level rulings could bring order to this chaos. And this may yet happen. But the odds against relatively lax federal regulation overriding state and municipal law are not good. The trend, if anything, is toward stricter rules. In the meantime, the trucker is still at the mercy of local government enforcing a local noise ordinance applying to idling trucks. In New York, for example, truck drivers caught idling their engines for more than five minutes face fines up to $1,000.

Download the guide to truck idling regulations  (877 KB). This document is in PDF format and will open in a new window. To view PDFs you will need the free Adobe® Reader®.