Whats the bottom line – does engine idling really impact me?
Individuals, fleet drivers, and fleet managers can all be positively impacted by idle reduction. Consider school bus drivers – a typical school bus burns approximately one-half gallon of diesel fuel for each hour it idles. So, for 50 buses, if each bus driver reduces idling time by 30 minutes per day, at $1.00 per gallon of diesel fuel, the district or bus company would save $2,250 per school year in fuel costs. Given that diesel fuel and gasoline both cost far more than $1.00 per gallon, reducing unnecessary idling leads to big savings for cash-strapped school districts. The same is true for any vehicle user. Passenger cars account for about 35% of GHG emissions from transportation sources, so even the every day driver has a role to play in reducing that impact. Is mid-Michigan a part of the solution? Greater Lansing Area Clean Cities has been focused on idle-reduction since 2003 and is working with statewide, regional, and local groups to implement idle-reduction solutions. Many vehi
