Region 1: EPA New England

What You Can Do

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• Individuals
• School Officials
• Fleet Managers

 

Individuals   Turn off your engine when your vehicle is not in motion and follow applicable idling restrictions in your state. States in New England with idling regulations are: Connecticut (PDF) (11 pp., 214 KB) Maine Massachusetts (PDF) (2 pp., 142 KB) New Hampshire (PDF) (5 pp., 46 KB) Rhode Island (PDF) (6 pp., 25 KB) Do not drive directly behind a smoking vehicle. Keep your vehicle well tuned and maintained.

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School Officials   When school bus drivers arrive at loading or unloading areas to drop off or pick up passengers, they should turn off their buses as soon as possible to eliminate idling time and reduce harmful emissions. The school bus should not be restarted until it is ready to depart. If buses need the engine to run flashing lights during longer duration loading and unloading, consider installing an extra battery and changing the circuit configurations so that the flashing lights can be powered by the battery without the engine running. At school bus depots, limit the idling time during early morning warm-up to what is recommended by the manufacturer and/or permitted by state anti-idling laws (generally 3 to 5 minutes). In colder climates, block heaters, which plug into electrical outlets, can help warm-up the engine to avoid starting difficulties and shorten warm-up time. In the winter, schools can provide a space inside the school where bus drivers who arrive early can wait. Follow anti-idling laws in your state. Currently, three New England states have anti-idling regulations: Connecticut (PDF) (11 pp., 214 KB) , Massachusetts (PDF) (2 pp., 142 KB) , New Hampshire (PDF) (5 pp., 46 KB) and Rhode Island (PDF) (6 pp., 25 KB) Ensure school buses are regularly maintained. Reinforce smart driving practices such as following at least 3 car lengths behind any vehicle with visible exhaust or a noticeable odor. Make sure everyone understands the importance of the new guidelines Large diesel vehicles burn approximately one gallon of diesel fuel for each hour that they idle. School buses typically use about a half a gallon. If a company operates 50 buses and each bus reduces its idling time by 30 minutes per day, at 2 dollars per gallon of diesel fuel, the company would save over $4,000 per school year in fuel costs. Inform drivers of the potential risk to their health from breathing diesel exhaust and the benefits of not idling. Establish a program to recognize drivers. For example, create buttons that drivers who pledge to follow the guidelines can wear.

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Fleet Managers   Retrofit diesel engines with pollution control devices. When purchasing a new truck or bus ensure that your are buying one that meets EPA's new standards. Consider purchasing heavy-duty vehicles that are equipped with devices that minimize idling and warm-up time automatically. Consider purchasing heavy-duty vehicles that run on cleaner fuels like compressed natural gas The Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center web site can help you identify the types of heavy-duty alternative fuel vehicles that are available for purchase. In addition, the Northeast Gas Association (NGA) maintains an updated list of the location of CNG refueling stations available to the public (PDF) (2 pp., 30 KB) Institute an anti-idling policy for your drivers. Consider joining the SmartWay Partnership.

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