Idling 101 – What you need to know and
why you need to know it!

Idling is the act of unnecessarily running a motor for an extended period of time. Vehicle idling in Massachusetts for a period more than 5 minutes is illegal; in Connecticut, the limit is 3 minutes. In addition, idling is noisy, wastes fossil fuels, costs money, and releases greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change. Vehicles that run on diesel fuel, such as buses and trucks, should be especially vigilant about unnecessary idling because diesel exhaust is toxic and contains known carcinogens.

Common Idlers

Trucks – (such as those that deliver home heating oil, retail and wholesale goods, utility trucks, moving vans, etc.)
Buses -(including school buses and tour buses)
Boats
Locomotives
Off-road equipment - construction trucks, mowers, leaf blowers, hedge trimmers, etc.

Idling isn’t ALWAYS illegal. Depending on a state’s law, some exemptions may include:

When the vehicle is being service or repaired
When engine operation is needed to deliver or accept cargo
During temperature extremes
When stuck in traffic
When heating or cooling equipment is needed
When the vehicle is reaching its operating temperature

Why is idling an important issue to you and the Neponset Valley, in particular?
The Neponset Valley and the Route 128 Corridor (from Randolph to Wellesley) has the worst air quality conditions in Massachusetts, primarily because of topographic features and traffic congestion. Idling vehicles unnecessarily contribute to poor air quality, which affects everyone’s lungs, but especially those of children, asthmatics, the elderly, and anyone who is active outdoors.

In fact, a recent asthma study showed that “one in every five households in New England has at least one child that suffers from asthma.” It also documented that in 2003 New England has the highest rate of adult asthma in the nation.

What can YOU do?
1. If your vehicle is not in motion, turn off your engine! If your engine is idling, you are wasting gas and polluting our air. In fact,

o Newer cars are designed to be driven almost immediately. These vehicles’ engines work optimally when they are in motion, not when they are idling.

o It’s more efficient to turn off the car and turn it on again than to let it idle for more than 30 seconds. Frequent restarting has little impact on engine components like the batter and starter motor.

2. If you operate a fleet of vehicles, be sure your drivers know and observe the state’s anti idling laws.
Better yet, stop driving and help get the other vehicles off the road. Use alternative modes of transportation – carpooling, mass transit, shuttles, etc.

3. Local anti-idling efforts are underway. An Idling Stakeholder Group of health advocates, city/town officials, health insurance companies, pedestrian and bike advocates, clean air advocates, the MBTA, and the EPA has begun to discuss ways to coordinate anti-idling efforts and leverage resources.

For more information on idling or how you can get involved in local anti-idling efforts, contact Ian Todreas, who is a Senior Project Manager for ERG's Boston office. Widely respected for his management and communications skills, Mr. Todreas helps federal, state, and private-sector clients in the transportation and energy sectors identify and overcome communications barriers and realize cost savings.

ERG is a full service consulting firm based in Lexington, MA. For the past 20 years, ERG has been providing economic analysis, IT and Web expertise, facilities planning and energy engineering, and communications and outreach assistance to nonprofit, government, and corporate clients across the country.

The Neponset Valley and the Route 128 Corridor (from Randolph to Wellesley) has the worst air quality conditions in the State.

Idling is illegal in Massachusetts, costs money, and wastes fuel.