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Fuel for thought idle reduction presentation 071715
- 1. Fuel for Thought Breakfast Lecture Series Tim Kovach Air Quality Planner, NOACA July 17, 2015
- 2. Overview What does NOACA do? What is vehicle idling? What are common idling myths? How can individuals & organizations reduce idling? What does NOACA do to address vehicle idling? Conclusion
- 3. What does NOACA do? Metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for Northeast Ohio Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, and Medina Counties Two main focus areas Transportation: TIP, bike & pedestrian planning, freight Environment: air quality, water quality Source: NOACA
- 4. What is vehicle idling? Idling: running vehicle engine for non-propulsion purposes Common examples: Delivery trucks waiting to load or unload Cars going through a drive-thru, ATM Buses waiting to pick up/drop off riders Source: Chicago Tribune
- 5. Idling is not always avoidable Emergency vehicles may idle to operate equipment, be on the alert Police cars responding to calls Ambulances operating medical equipment Vocational trucks may idle to power equipment Utility trucks with lift buckets Landscaping trucks with wood chippers Cement trucks Long haul truck drivers may idle to run HVAC units
- 6. Why do people idle? Can break down idling into 3 main categories: Warming – warming up car in winter, cooling it in summer Waiting – running vehicle while stopped (e.g. waiting for a train to pass) Traffic – routine stops due to traffic, stop lights, etc.
- 7. How long do people idle? Idling estimates vary by location United States (U.S. EPA) Los Angeles: 12% of total driving time Atlanta & Spokane, WA: 18% Baltimore: 21% Europe (INRETS, France) United Kingdom: 13% Germany: 15% France: 21% We lack good data for Northeast Ohio
- 8. How long do people idle? Time estimates from Carrico et al. (2009): Warming: 26% Waiting: 23% Traffic: 51% Total idling time: 16.1 minutes per day To curb traffic idling, drive alone less often 4.2 3.7 8.2 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Warming Waiting Traffic Minutes Spent Idling Per Day Idling Time by Category
- 9. Common myths about idling My engine needs to warm up when it’s cold It saves gas to run the engine, instead of turning it on/off Turning my car off and on puts additional wear & tear on it Idling produces less air pollution than turning the engine on/off
- 10. Myth 1: Warming up your engine Perhaps the most common idling myth Has some truth – cars get worse MPG when cold Carburetors need to warm up to work properly Electronic fuel injection eliminated this issue Source: Northeast Ohio Media Group/Cleveland.com
- 11. Myth 1: Warming up your engine Mean response: 5 minutes, 1 second U.S.EPA: 30 seconds* Survey data from Carrico et al. (2009) 0 2.5 5 7.5 10 12.5 15 17.5 20 22.5 25
- 12. Myth 1: Warming up your engine Cars warm up more quickly when driven Engine oil does not need to warm up first Synthetic oils can flow at -40°F Idling does not help the battery Idling car batteries cycle more deeply, causing strain
- 13. Myth 2: Idling saves on gas Common perception that turning car on & off uses more gas than leaving it running Similar to belief that it’s better to leave a light bulb turned on Livermore Light Bulb Source: Wikimedia Commons
- 14. Myth 2: Idling saves on gas Mean response: 4 minute, 41 seconds U.S.EPA: 10 seconds Survey data from Carrico et al. (2009) 0 2.5 5 7.5 10 12.5 15 17.5 20 22.5 25 Minutes of Idling
- 15. Idling is least fuel efficient option – gets 0 mpg Average vehicle spends 60-73 hours idling per year Idling accounts for 5-7% of total fuel use Wastes >10 billion gallons of fuel per year Myth 2: Idling saves on gas Source: Argonne National Laboratory
- 16. Fuel waste even higher for commercial vehicles Idling commercial trucks use 0.39-1.65 gallons of fuel per hour Adds up to total of 2.49 billion gallons of fuel each year Wasted fuel from idling costs: $44 per year for each car $392 per year for each commercial truck Myth 2: Idling saves on gas
- 17. Idea that idling reduces vehicle wear & tear has some basis in fact Some car components only designed for set number of engine starts Myth 3: Idling reduces vehicle wear Source: Natural Resources Canada
- 18. Mean response: 5 minutes, 43 seconds Natural Resources Canada: 46 seconds 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Survey data from Carrico et al. (2009) Myth 3: Idling reduces vehicle wear
- 19. Myth 3: Idling reduces vehicle wear While stopping & starting has an impact, it pales in comparison to idling Idling engines do not run at optimal temperature Leads to incomplete combustion of gasoline Can cut fuel economy by 4-5% Idling also shortens lifespan of battery Overall, idling costs roughly 4 times more
- 20. Some people believe idling cuts down on air pollution Mobile emissions are major issue in Northeast Ohio 66% of ozone precursors 58% of coarse particle matter 25% of fine particle matter Myth 4: Idling reduces air pollution Source: Mid-America Regional Council
- 21. Myth 4: Idling reduces air pollution Mean response: 3 minutes, 33 seconds U.S.EPA: 15 seconds 0 2.5 5 7.5 10 12.5 15 17.5 20 22.5 25 Survey data from Carrico et al. (2009)
- 22. Myth 4: Idling reduces air pollution Vehicle idling is a major source of carbon pollution Accounts for 94M metric tons of CO2 emissions Two times the emissions of iron & steel industries combined Significant source of emissions from passenger vehicles & households
- 23. Myth 4: Idling reduces air pollution Vehicle idling also generates large amount of conventional air pollutants Exhaust contains a number of harmful compounds Ozone precursors – VOCs, NOx Particulate matter – PM10, PM2.5 Carbon Monoxide Sulfur Dioxide Hydrocarbons - Benzene, acetaldehyde, 1,3-butadiene Vehicle exhaust linked to cancer
- 24. Myth 4: Idling reduces air pollution Idling particularly a big issue in school zones Approximately 600,000 school buses in US 99% run on diesel fuel Study finds link between idling & increased particle pollution Concentrations up to four times higher in peak hours Cutting air pollution reduces sick days Source: Streetsblog NYC
- 25. Myth 4: Idling reduces air pollution Need to consider idling’s contribution to air pollution Northeast Ohio is nonattainment are for ozone Cuyahoga & Lorain in nonattainment for PM2.5 No reliable data on air pollution from idling in Northeast Ohio Can we come up with a rough calculation of costs?
- 26. So can we estimate air quality impacts of idling in Northeast Ohio? Follow methodology from Carrico et al. (2009): 48% idle more than 30 seconds to warm car 46% idle more than 30 seconds while waiting 2,095,861 registered passenger vehicles in Northeast Ohio in 2014 (Ohio BMV) Calculate totals based on U.S. EPA emissions factors Myth 4: Idling reduces air pollution
- 27. Myth 4: Idling reduces air pollution Pollutant/Fuel Total Emissions/Fuel Consumed* VOCs 128 tons Hydrocarbons 151 tons NOx 1,678 tons CO 3,376 tons CO2 3,982 Gasoline 27,020,186 *Note: These are rough estimates & should not be cited accordingly, but they likely represent the low end of the range of potential costs for idling in the region. Sources: Amanda R. Carrio et al. (2009). “Costly myths: An analysis of idling beliefs and behavior in personal motor vehicles, Energy Policy 37: 2881–2888. U.S. EPA, Idling Vehicle Emissions for Passenger Cars, Light-Duty Trucks, and Heavy-Duty Trucks (Washington, DC: U.S. EPA, 2008).
- 28. Myth 4: Idling reduces air pollution Pollutant/Fuel Costs Per Unit (ton/gallon)* Total Costs** VOCs $7,512 $961,470 NOx $17,490 $29,349,576 CO $20 $86,782 CO2 $40 $159,277 Gasoline $3.00 $81,060,557 Total $111,617,663 *Adjusted to 2014 USD values. **Note: These are rough estimates & should not be cited, but they likely represent the low end of the range of potential costs for idling in the region. Sources: U.S. Department of Transportation (2001). “Estimation and Evaluation of Full Marginal Costs of Highway Transportation in New Jersey,” Journal of Transportation and Statistics 4, no. 1. U.S. EPA, “The Social Cost of Carbon,” http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/EPAactivities/economics/scc.html.
- 29. So what steps can we take to reduce vehicle idling?
- 30. Reduce single-occupancy vehicles 84% of Northeast Ohio residents drive alone to work National average: 76% Vehicle miles traveled continues to increase in Northeast Ohio VMT on the decline nationally 8,000 8,500 9,000 9,500 10,000 10,500 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 VMTPerCapita Vehicle Miles Traveled Per Capita, 2007-2013 United States Northeast Ohio Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey data. Federal Highway Administration, Traffic Trends data. Ohio Department of Transportation, Daily Vehicle Miles Traveled Report data.
- 31. Reduce single-occupancy vehicles Driving less cuts into traffic idling, which accounts for majority of idling time Technologies exist, but they are less effective Shifting to other transportation modes can dramatically improve air quality Atlanta’s air quality improved during 1996 Olympics Number of asthma-related hospital visits fell 41%
- 32. Anti-idling technologies Several anti-idling technologies currently exist Hybrid engines designed to shut off while idling Vehicle stop-start technologies, e.g. integrated starter- generators Source: Wikimedia Commons
- 33. Anti-idling technologies Commercial vehicles require different options Problem is not just idling while driving, but for work-related features Options for commercial vehicles include: Electrified parking spaces Auxiliary power units Supplementary heating & air conditioning Source: Argonne National Laboratory
- 34. Public awareness campaigns Idling is excellent target for public awareness & education campaigns Much of vehicle idling due to lack of accurate information among drivers Campaigns can help drivers line up actions with their own economic self-interest
- 35. Sudbury case study Idle reduction campaign in Sudbury, Ontario in 2001-2002 Project used community-based social marketing principles Targeted parents & bus drivers at 49 schools Workers educated drivers about idling Idling frequency & time both fell by one-third Source: McKenzie-Mohr & Associates (2001).
- 36. Anti-idling policies Public awareness campaigns not always enough Sudbury experiment did not work citywide May be necessary to reinforce these campaigns with policies, legislation Can help overcome barriers to action, short-term perspectives among drivers Idling is low-hanging fruit, can help get citizens invested in sustainability
- 37. How does NOACA tackle idling? Developed public awareness campaign Drafted sample anti-idling ordinance for local municipalities Help public sector agencies to locate, secure financial support for idle reduction National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program (U.S. EPA) Clean Diesel School Bus Fund Retrofit Grants Program (Ohio EPA)
- 39. Source: U.S. Department of Energy
- 40. Source: Ohio EPA
- 41. Conclusion Idling remains a widespread problem There are a number of myths about vehicle idling, but the costs are clear Taking steps to reduce idling could save Northeast Ohio millions of dollars, improve air quality We can address idling with technology, public awareness, and legislation NOACA is here to help local governments, organizations tackle vehicle idling
- 42. Tim Kovach Air Quality Planner Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) (216) 241-2414 ext. 399 tkovach@mpo.noaca.org
Editor's Notes
- NOACA is the metropolitan planning organization for Northeast Ohio MPOs: bodies of locally elected officials and other representatives from local governments and transportation agencies that determine how federal transportation dollars will be spent within the metropolitan area Focuses on two main areas: transportation & environmental planning Transportation: Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP): 4-year plans that guide the implementation of Northeast Ohio’s long-term vision for transportation, Connections+ 2035 bike & pedestrian planning: developed a regional bicycle plan in 2013, which is long-term vision to improve bike infrastructure in the region Helps to guide development & fund implementation of bike & pedestrian infrastructure Working to assess existing freight transportation network so that we can work to identify strengths & weaknesses, improve freight system in long-term Have developed a number of innovative approaches to transportation planning: Developed Transportation Assessment Management Program to assess current state of region’s infrastructure & identify plan to maintain & repair it going forward Acknowledges need to shift from continually building new roads & expanding capacity to better maintaining & upgrading roads we already have Environment: air quality, water quality Air quality: NOACA helps implement emission-reduction strategies related to Ohio’s State Implementation Plan (SIP) for air quality standards Also tracks progress on attainment of air quality standards, educates the public on air pollution issues & steps that can improve regional air quality Conducts air quality forecasting & issues alerts for bad air days Also conducts review of applications for Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality grants from local govt agencies & transit authorities, makes recommendations for grant recipients Water quality: NOACA provides support to agencies & organizations working to improve water quality in Northeast Ohio Supports local govt agencies to implement state of Ohio’s Sewage Treatment Rules Helps non-profit organizations like Friends of Big Creek to implement action plans to restore & protect local watersheds
- Let’s start by defining what we mean when we say vehicle idling Idling: running vehicle engine for non-propulsion purposes Common examples: Delivery trucks waiting to load or unload goods Cars going through a drive-thru Buses waiting to pick up or drop off riders
- Sometimes, idling is difficult to avoid, usually when there is a nonpropulsion need for power. “Idling for power” does not have a one-size-fits-all solution. The best solution will depend on the particular power needs. Emergency vehicles may idle only to power warning lights and communications equipment, be on the alert Police keep their cruisers running when responding to calls in case something occurs while they are on scene Work trucks may idle in order to provide power to nonpropulsion equipment E.g. lift buckets, wood chippers, cement trucks Long-haul trucks may idle to provide heating or cooling for drivers during overnight rest periods Knowing why a vehicle is idling is important for evaluating potential solutions. Optimal solutions for delivery trucks will likely be different from those for work trucks.
- People idle for various reasons, as noted earlier That said, we can break down the most common forms of idling into 3 major categories: Warming – warming up car in winter, cooling it down during summer Waiting – running vehicle while stopped (e.g. waiting for a train to pass, waiting to pick up a passenger) Traffic – routine stops due to traffic, stop lights, etc.
- Idling estimates vary by location The U.S. EPA conducted studies of the amount of time cars spent driving in 4 cities during the mid-1990s Los Angeles: 12% of total driving time Atlanta & Spokane, Washington: 18% Baltimore: 21% Europe: INRETS, a French think tank working on transportation issues, developed a way to sample 80 vehicles in 3 European countries during the early 1990s United Kingdom: 13% Germany: 15% France: 21% We lack reliable data on idling time for Northeast Ohio – this is one area where NOACA is interested in conducting or supporting further research
- A 2009 study from Carrico et al. sampled 1,300 Americans to get estimates on idling habits study developed information for passenger vehicles, and found that, on average people spend 26% of their idling time – 4.2 minutes per day – idling to warm/cool their vehicles 23% of their idling time – 3.7 minutes per day – idling while waiting for one reason or another 51% of their idling time – 8.2 minutes per day – stuck in traffic Total idling time: 16.1 minutes per day It is most difficult to address traffic idling, as it is endemic to driving Technology can help to mitigate this form of idling Only sure fire approach is to encourage people to drive less or to carpool – reduces total number of vehicles idling on any given day
- There are a number of myths about vehicle idling; I will tackle 4 of them today: My engine needs to warm up when it’s cold It saves gas to run the engine, instead of turning it on/off Turning my car off and on puts additional wear & tear on it Idling produces less air pollution than turning the engine on/off
- The notion that drivers should warm up their engines in cold weather is perhaps the most common idling myth Average temperature was 14°F this February, so trying to melt ice on the windows and heat up the interior sounded like a good idea This has become even more common with the advent of the remote start Should admit that there is some truth to this myth EPA says that cars get worse gas mileage – 12% reduction on average – during cold weather This number can climb to 22% for shorter trips and even reach an incredible 33% for hybrids, which are normally more fuel efficient But much of this myth is rooted in the past – carburetors needed to warm up before running in order to ensure that it would generate the proper mix of air & fuel in the engine If this mixture was off, the car could end up stalling Introduction of electronic fuel injectors in 1980s and 1990s has largely eliminated this issue, however Fuel injectors used electronic sensors that automatically adjust to outside conditions
- In their 2009 study, Carrico et al asked survey respondents how long they think they should run their car to warm up the engine when temperatures were <32F The average response was 5 minutes & 1 second Compare this to the U.S. EPA, which says you only need to run an engine for 30 seconds before driving during cold weather This recommendation does vary based on source however, particularly in very cold temperatures Natural Resources Canada – the Canadian equivalent of the EPA – says that drivers can run their engines for up to 2-3 minutes
- Despite common conceptions, cars warm up more quickly when driven EPA says that engines actually warm twice as quickly when on the move as they do when stationary Engine oil does not need to warm up first Modern synthetic oils can flow at temperatures as cold as -40°F Idling also does not help the battery Commonplace for batteries to stall out and lose power during extremely cold temperatures Many people living in places like Alaska use engine block heaters or thermal blankets for their batteries in the winter But idling can actually be worse for your battery than trying to start it during cold weather As they idle, car batteries continue to expend energy to the car’s components This results in deeper engine cycling, which forces it to discharge more energy when it’s cycling Discharged batters produce less power, meaning a successful start will require more energy and take longer, shortening the battery’s lifespan
- There is a common perception that turning your car’s engine on and off will use more gas than letting it idle Seems to be similar to the myth that it uses less electricity to leave a light bulb on than to flip the switch on & of Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters actually tackled this myth back in 2006 An incandescent light bulb only needs to be switched off for 0.36 seconds to make it better than leaving it running Number is 0.015 seconds for a CFL and 1.28 seconds for an LED
- Carrico et al asked survey respondents how long they could idle before it becomes better to turn your engine off for fuel usage/gas mileage Respondents estimated it was 4 minute & 41 seconds, on average EPA says that the number is actual just 10 seconds nearly 97% shorter than conventional wisdom
- Idling is least fuel efficient option – idling vehicles get 0 mpg Every 2 minutes spent idling uses the same amount of gas as driving 2 miles The average vehicle spends 60-73 hours idling per year accounts for 5-7% of total fuel use How much fuel does idling waste? Passenger cars use roughly 0.57 gallons of gas per hour Varies by car, but, as this chart from the Argonne National Laboratory shows, larger engines waste more gas while idling A 3-liter engine will consume nearly 30 gallons of gas per year if it idles for 10 minutes each day Means that, if cars idle for 16.1 minutes per day, as Carrico et al. suggest, it wastes more than 10 billion gallons of fuel per year
- Fuel waste from idling is even higher for commercial vehicles Heavy duty trucks consume approximately 20% of all fuel in the US each year, despite only accounting for 5% of total vehicles on the roads American Trucking Associations says that truck drivers idle for 6 hours per day, on average Caterpillar estimates 1,800 hours per year Idling commercial trucks use 0.39-1.65 gallons of fuel per hour This adds up to total of 2.49 billion gallons of wasted fuel each year due to idling Wasted fuel from idling costs: $44 per year for each car $392 per year for each commercial truck Can become a substantial cost for truck fleets, managers of other vehicle fleets that rely on diesel If Americans just cut their idling to meet EPA recommendations, they could save 1.8 billion gallons of gas each year Based on current fuel prices – around $2.79 per gallon – that would total $5.3 billion in savings
- Myth that idling reduces vehicle wear & tear has some basis in fact Some car components only designed for set number of engine starts Starters have failure specification of 20,000-40,000 – means they are built to last roughly 20,000-40,000 starts, on average If you start your car 6 times per day, this would mean that your starter should last 10-19 years But doubling this number to 12 times per day, which may occur if you try to avoid idling, could halve the lifespan of your starter
- So how long can you idle your car before it puts more wear on the components than turning it off & on? Mean response in Carrico study – 5 minutes, 43 seconds In reality, Natural Resources Canada has calculated that the costs of idling outweigh the benefits after just 46 seconds
- While stopping & starting has an impact, it pales in comparison to impacts of vehicle idling Idling engines do not run at optimal temperature Causes incomplete combustion of gasoline This leaves fuel residue in the engine, contaminates the engine oil, and dirties spark plugs Can cut fuel economy by 4-5%, according to Natural Resources Canada As noted earlier, idling can also shorten the lifecycle of a car’s battery by forcing it to discharge more power No evidence that turning car off & on affects battery life When you break it down, turning a car off & on costs roughly 1-2 cents per start in parts and labor costs This raises the breakeven time for idling to 46 seconds, but it only totals $10 per year Compare this to the $44 or more in wasted fuel from idling
- Some people believe idling cuts down on air pollution To be honest, I’m not even sure where this myth comes from, but it’s one that we have run into within the region But I’m going to spend a lot of time on this issue, because – well – I work on air quality for a living If idling was, in fact, better for air quality, that would be a big deal Mobile emissions are major source of air pollution in Northeast Ohio 66% of ozone precursors 58% of coarse particle matter 25% of fine particle matter
- Carrico et al decided to test for this myth in their study, as well Average respondent believed that they could run their car for 3 minutes & 33 seconds before it became better for air quality to shut off the engine U.S. EPA says that the actual number is just 15 seconds
- Vehicle idling is a major source of carbon pollution Accounts for 94 million metric tons of CO2 emissions each year This is more than twice the combined emissions of the iron & steel industries Idling is thus a significant source of emissions for individuals & families 2007 study found that idling accounted for ~9% of CO2 emissions associated w/ private vehicle use
- Vehicle idling also generates large amount of conventional air pollutants Exhaust contains a number of harmful compounds, including Ozone precursors – VOCs, Nox Particulate matter – PM10, PM2.5 Carbon Monoxide – CO can especially be an issue in very cold weather, as catalyst in catalytic converter does not run optimally Sulfur Dioxide Hydrocarbons - Benzene, acetaldehyde, 1,3-butadiene World Health Organization has linked vehicle exhaust to cancer EPA says that hydrocarbon compounds from exhaust are responsible for half of all cancers caused by air pollution in the US
- Idling particularly a big issue in school zones Approximately 600,000 school buses in US Transport 24 million children to/from school 99% of school buses use diesel fuel Diesel particles are <0.1 micrometers – linked to decreased lung function, respiratory tract inflammation & irritation, and asthma EPA lists diesel exhaust particles as a probably carcinogen Children also breathe 50% more air by volume Study in Cincinnati found link between idling & increased particle pollution Study explores concentration & composition of PM2.5 particles in vicinity of public school during commute hours when buses are transporting students Measured concentrations at a suburban Cincinnati school & a rural school over weekdays during March & May of 2008 Also measured particulate matter concentrations on 3 weekdays during winter break in December Difference btwn particle number concentration when bus traffic was highest & when it was lowest ranged from 1.8 to 4.0 number of school buses was significantly associated with particle concentration (p<0.01) March concentrations 2 times greater than during winter break period “school buses significantly contribute to the children’s exposure to aerosol pollutants (including DEP) in the school vicinity” Impacts of air pollution on children’s health is clear Recent study found that switching to low-sulfur diesel in school buses & installing clean air technologies could cut pollution levels by up to 50% Could cut school days missed due to respiratory illnesses by 12 million per year nationwide
- We need to consider idling’s contribution to air pollution in the region All of Northeast Ohio is currently in nonattainment for ozone standard this will become even more important when EPA finalizes new ozone standard this fall Both Cuyahoga & Lorain Counties are also in nonattainment for the 2012 standard for fine particulate matter So what can we say about the impact of idling on Northeast Ohio’s air quality?
- So can we estimate the air quality impacts of vehicle idling in Northeast Ohio? I followed the methodology laid out in the Carrico et al. study Conducted a survey to find out what % of people idle their vehicles longer than EPA recommendations on any given day Found that 48% of respondents idle more than 30 seconds to warm their cars & 46% idle more than 30 seconds while waiting each day Use this data to figure out the number of vehicles idling in Northeast Ohio each day Ohio BMV said that there were 2,095,861 registered passenger vehicles in the region in 2014 Using the survey data from the Carrico et al study & emissions factors from the U.S. EPA, we get the following estimates
- We get the following estimates Clearly, vehicle idling contributes to air pollution in Northeast Ohio Excess idling also consumes more than 27 million gallons of gasoline each year
- But, unless you’re an environmental scientist, knowing that excess idling produces nearly 3,400 metric tons of CO each year may not mean much So let’s take those numbers and put them into economic terms EPA has developed estimates of the health costs associated with air pollution Includes estimates on mortality – e.g. premature deaths associated with particular pollutants – and morbidity, which accounts for non-fatal health-related costs of pollution Morbidity includes things like asthma attacks, hospitalizations due to respiratory illness, missed days of school & work, non-fatal heart attacks, etc. Using these estimates, I was able to put an estimated value on the annual economic costs of vehicle idling in Northeast Ohio These numbers suggest that if we eliminated warming & waiting idling beyond 30 seconds, we could save more than $111 million each year
- Perhaps the most straightforward way to reduce vehicle idling is to drive less & to particularly reduce the number of single-occupancy vehicles Northeast Ohio has extremely high rates of single occupancy vehicles – 84% of residents drive alone to work National average is just 76%, though Ohio’s average is 83% Northeast Ohio is also bucking the trend in terms of vehicle miles traveled Whereas per capita VMT rates have fallen nationally since 2007 peak, they continued to climb in the region NE Ohio still trails the national average, but the gap is closing, as the chart illustrates
- Driving less, particularly driving alone, cuts into the amount of idling traffic time, which is endemic to driving Traffic idling accounts for more than half of all idling, on average, so addressing this issue is important There are technologies on the market to reduce traffic idling, such as hybrid engines (which we’ll discuss in a moment), but they are less effective than simply driving less overall Shifting to other modes of transportation, including multi-occupancy vehicles, reduces vehicle idling If a person gave up driving just 1 day per week. s/he would cut the time that s/he spends idling by nearly 14 hours each year Evidence shows that shifting to other transportation modes can dramatically improve air quality Researchers studied the effect of the 1996 Summer Olympics on air quality & respiratory illness rates in Atlanta Due to concerns about traffic, Atlanta took a number of steps to reduce the number of people driving into the city Ozone concentrations fell by 28%, while carbon monoxide concentrations dropped by 17% The number of asthma emergency care visits & hospitalizations fell by 41.6% during the Olympics
- Several anti-idling technologies on the market already Probably the most common are hybrid vehicles Hybrid engines designed to shut off while idling Help explain why hybrids get such excellent fuel economy for city driving What you may not know is that this feature can actually account for up to 30% of fuel economy improvements over conventional vehicles But similar technologies also exist for conventional vehicles There are a variety of vehicle stop-start technologies, such as integrated starter-generators EPA estimates that an ISG adds roughly $300-450 to the sticker price of a car AAA conducted thorough city driving tests with 3 car models utilizing stop-start technologies Found that they cut total fuel use by 5-7% overall Means that the they have a payback period of approximately 2-7 years, based on driving distance and gas prices These technologies are beginning to gain market share GM installed a start-stop feature on all of its MY 2014 & 2015 Chevy Malibus Just the tip of the iceberg for this technology, though Study by Navient Research projects that there will be 55 million vehicles with stop-start features on the road by 2022, up from just over 8M in 2013
- Commercial vehicles require different options Problem is not just idling while driving, but idling for work-related features Options for commercial vehicles include: Electrified parking spaces – provide truck drivers with window devices that supply power for their heating & cooling and onboard electronics, like TV & internet Auxiliary power units – small generators added to the truck that derive power from diesel fuel without running the engine Supplementary heating/air conditioning – various technologies that provide alternative means to heat & cool commercial vehicles Example: Webasto Products BlueCool system, which uses engine power while driving to create blocks of ice in a refrigerator When engine is shut off, air is blown over the ice and back into the truck cabin to cool it Commercial trucks can also adopt hybrid engines Eaton produces a hydraulic hybrid engine that can allow commercial truck operators to cut down on idling & run necessary equipment (e.g. cherry pickers) off of batteries Hybrid engines like Eaton’s can reduce emissions of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide & particulate matter by up to 70% As image from the Argonne National Laboratory suggests, the payback periods for these technologies vary, but they can be less than 1-2 year even if diesel costs $2.00 per gallon
- Idling is excellent target for public awareness & education campaigns Much of vehicle idling due to lack of accurate information among drivers Consumers tend to underestimate combined costs of smaller purchases, like gasoline, relative to big-ticket items like the car itself Leads to consumers rejecting spending extra upfront for more efficient technologies, even though energy savings will lead to beneficial rates of return Campaigns can help drivers line up actions with their own economic self-interest
- Idle reduction campaign in Sudbury, Ontario during 2001-2002 Project implemented by firm run by Douglas McKenzie-Mohr, professor who developed concept of community-based social marketing Targeted parents picking up & dropping off children, bus drivers at 49 schools Workers spoke with, educated parents & bus drivers about idling Idling frequency & time both fell by one-third
- While idling is uniquely amenable to public awareness campaigns, they are not always enough Sudbury experiment, for example, did not work when officials tried to scale it up from a school-based program to a citywide initiative Idling times among Sudbury drivers actually increased by 21% Accordingly, it may be necessary to reinforce these types of campaigns with government policies and legislation These steps may help to overcome key barriers to action and shift the short-term perspectives among drivers Important to note that idling is low-hanging fruit for improving air quality & reducing carbon emissions It is a highly cost-effective step that governments can take School initiatives have had marginal abatement costs as low as $0.46 per ton of CO2 Even if citywide programs are 20x less cost-effective than school-based ones, marginal cost of carbon abatement is still under $10 per ton “anti-idling projects may serve as an important first-step in raising awareness about climate change and securing public participation in the myriad of different actions that will be necessary if we are to effectively protect our climate”
- So how does NOACA help to address idling in Northeast Ohio?
- First, we have developed a public awareness campaign Have distributed more than 750 anti-idling signs throughout Northeast Ohio since 2007 We also engage in events like this one and work with other organizations engaged on these topics
- NOACA has been promoting anti-idling legislation since 2007 Drafted sample anti-idling ordinance for local municipalities City of Cleveland passed anti-idling policy for city vehicles in 2006 & citywide anti-idling ordinance in 2009 Policy prohibited idling of city vehicles in non-emergency situations Included exceptions for cold weather idling, according to supervisor’s discretion >32F: up to 5 minutes -10F to 32F: 15 minutes maximum <-10F: as necessary Citywide ordinance prohibits idling for more than 5 minutes in a 60 minute period when temperatures are between 32F & 85F When <32F or >85F, ordinance allows idling of up to 10 minutes Several municipalities have followed suit, including Lakewood, North Olmsted, Maple Heights, and South Euclid Ordinances vary by municipality South Euclid prohibits passenger vehicle idling when temperature is between 32F and 85F, but allows it for up to 20 minutes when <32F or >85F Ultimately, 2 most important aspects of legislative approaches are public awareness & enforcement U.S. EPA has noted that, while a host of municipalities have passed anti-idling ordinances, very few actually enforce them A vehicle in my neighborhood once idled, unattended, for at least 90 minutes – Cleveland only responded because I called non-emergency line
- NOACA is also a resource for local municipalities & other public sector agencies, like school districts, to locate and secure financing for idle reduction We distribute information and answer questions on various programs, including: U.S. EPA’s National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance program, which provides up to 100% of the funding to implement idle reduction steps for school bus fleets, among other things We also help local school districts who want to apply for the Ohio Clean Diesel School Bus Fund, which provides up to $300,000 for bus fleet upgrades Since 2006, this program has funded 1,100 school bus retrofits in Northeast Ohio