Idle Hour

This article discusses that according to the Argonne National Laboratory Center for Transportation Research, long-haul truck idling in the United States burns more than 800 million gallons of fuel a year. The big reasons for idling include heating and cooling of sleeper cabs and generating electricity for onboard appliances like refrigerators and microwaves. In severe, glove-cracking cold, truckers idle to avoid cold starts and to keep their fuel from turning to slush. Onboard idle-reduction systems range from simple start–stop arrangements to full-out auxiliary diesel generators. They require greater financial commitments than stationary systems on the part of the truckers or the employers who buy them. Yet, unlike many pollution prevention programs, where installing equipment often spells lower efficiencies, idling reduction stands a good chance of lowering both fuel usage and emissions. A business case can be built for many idling reduction schemes.