The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments has launched a three-week Turn Off Your Engine campaign to educate truck and bus drivers about the benefits, both environmental and financial, from reducing idling their parked vehicles’ engines.
D.C., Maryland and Virginia all have stiff penalties for commercial drivers caught with their engines idling. In the District, it is a $1,000 fine for idling more than three minutes. In Maryland, the fine is $500 for idling more than five minutes. In Virginia, the fine is up to $25,000 for a driver who runs their parked vehicle’s engine for more than 10 minutes.
In D.C. and Virginia, private vehicles are exempt. In Maryland, the fines apply to both private and commercial vehicles.
The Council of Governments will focus its outreach in two areas where idling engines are particularly common.
“Those are at locations where you would typically see a lot of motor coach activity around some of the more tourist areas. Also, I-95 rest areas with outreach to truck drivers as well,” said Jennifer Desimone, air program chief at the Council of Governments.
Idling engines release harmful emissions, including nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds that can contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone, one of the leading causes of summertime unhealthy air days.
The D.C. region has reported 17 Code Orange unhealthy air days so far this year, compared to just four for all of 2022, and has seen four Code Red unhealthy air days so far this year due to smoke from Canadian wildfires.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, reducing unnecessary idling by a typical long-haul truck would remove nine metric tons of carbon dioxide, and other pollutants that produce unhealthy air.
If not for the environment, then for the pocketbook, and that applies to ordinary drivers in cars and SUVs too.
“Just two minutes of idling can use the same amount of gas as driving 1 mile, so that can really add up for you, or your company,” Desimone said.
Thirty seconds of idling can use more gas than turning off the engine and restarting it.
There are ways to avoid idling engines, even in everyday driving habits.
“Don’t go through drive-thrus. Instead, park your vehicle and go inside. If you’re waiting for passengers, don’t idle while you’re waiting,” she said.
The same applies when pulling over to use a mobile device or parking to eat in a car.
One car idling while dropping off or picking up a child at school each day adds about three pounds of pollution to the air each month, according to the EPA.
The organization’s Turn Off Your Engine campaign is part of its Clean Air Partners’ Ozone Action Month, promoting efforts to reduce ozone smog.
The nonprofit Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ members include 300 elected officials from 24 regional governments, as well as Maryland and Virginia state legislatures and the U.S. Congress.
Learn more information about the Turn Off Your Engine campaign online.
