No Idle in California
Well, it’s been two weeks now since the new anti-idling law went into effect in California, and so far I haven’t seen any signs that A) the world is coming to an end, or B) trucking fleets are bypassing California to avoid the new regulation.
You may recall that the new regulation put in place by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) dictates that trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds can idle for only five minutes. There are exemptions for being stuck due of traffic, weather or mechanical failure, or when being inspected or serviced, or queuing beyond 100 feet of a residential area or if the truck’s engine meets option NOx idling emission standards and the truck is beyond 100 feet from a residential area. Furthermore, drivers can’t operate a diesel-fueled APU for more than five minutes if they are located within 100 feet of a residential area. If your truck has a 2007 or newer engine, your diesel-fueled APU or fuel-fired heater must also meet additional equipment requirements. Oh, and the fines can be as high as $10,000.
The deafening silence from California can only mean one of two things: either the state has chosen not to enforce the new regulation (yet), or every trucking company operating in or through California is complying without complaint. I have to believe that it’s the former, but if so, when will they start enforcing the law, and who will be the first to feel the sting?
January 27th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
I’m a trucker from Canada. Our company is in the process of installing APU’s on all our fleet.(100+ trucks). I have heard of one driver being fined $300 in Barstow, but you still see or rather hear trucks idling every night in every truck stop. I’m sure that California will start cracking down soon. It will generate a lot of revenue until the truckers learn. It serves the truckers right. I have over a million miles driving and I see trucks idling all the time for absolutly no reason.
March 11th, 2008 at 2:22 am
Hopefully the fine upstanding individuals who belong to California’s law enforcement will spend the majority of their time fighting crime and lawlessness, rather than harassing truck drivers out of a good night’s sleep. I can understand restricting idling near residential areas, or when the outside temperature is reasonable. But in the summers, outside temps can make the inside of a truck downright miserable. Winters can leave you freezing your bum off. It seems the same whiny individuals who are worried about “tired truckers” are the same people who would gleefully rob us of the ability to get a decent night’s sleep in a climate controlled environment. I drive for a small fleet- 17 trucks, and despite the urging of several drivers, the owner refuses to equip his trucks with APU’s, citing cost constraints. Aside from this fact, I enjoy working for this company- so quitting is not an option. Yet this summer I fear I’ll be forced to endure more than a few fitful and sweaty night’s sleep only to emerge bleary-eyed and improperly rested, driving a 40 ton vehicle, mingling with the other motorists of California’s often-too-congested highways. The people of California certainly enjoy the luxury of heating and air conditioning in their homes; the electricity has to come from somewhere- fossil fuels, anyone? Perhaps the next step to combatting pollution in California will be to outlaw climate control systems for homes. Maybe they should outlaw homes altogether- after all, building materials rob natural resources and clearing homesites destroys the natural habitats of some furry woodland creatures. Let’s get real here- there are reasonable “anti-idle” laws….and then there’s California. All this law is doing, is pandering to a small but vocal group of eco-extremists. The yearly fires in California easily put more pollution into the atmosphere than do the state’s diesel trucks. Perhaps neighboring states ought to fine California for all the fires?
April 1st, 2008 at 7:01 pm
amen brother… the left is good for that… be safe you dirty nasty ‘ol mean ‘ol truckers but damn it don’t you sleep….!!! Don’t dare sleep in my liberal state….
April 1st, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Oh and yes, the fires cause far more pollution than trucks…!!!
April 27th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
I’ve heard there are exceptions to this rule. However, I have yet to find “all” the exceptions. I don’t mind obeying the rules and regulations forced upon me, but this is definately a safety issue. Lack of sleep only means I’m an unsafe driver. Why bother enforcing the 10hr sleeper berth if we aren’t getting proper rest. Wasn’t that the purpose of changing the 8hr to 10hrs sleeper berth, to ensure proper rest? I’ve never known anyone that could get proper rest when the temperature in the cab is over 100. I’m confused….Where can I find the exceptions to this rule? And what about having a pet in my truck? Wouldn’t it be animal cruelty if my helpless pet had to endure the tempertures in the cab without proper temperture control? My main route is weekly throughout this lovely pit of hell and I don’t want to leave the company I’m driving for. It’s a small company and they are refusing to put APUs on the truck. So, if the Idle Police come to my truck and attempt to write out the ticket, shouldn’t they write the ticket to the company? Afterall, it shouldn’t be a “company drivers’ ” responsibility to alter and add componites to the truck that doesn’t even belong to the driver.
April 30th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
What about the rail? Those locomotive engines sit idle for days running and pouring out the fumes. Jets sitting on the runways for hours. Ships, etc.!! How does the state superseed the United States government anyways. The govn. says employees shall work in a safe enviroment. But the revenue state of ca., says we must die in our trucks of heat exaustion, dehydrated, and if we survive another 10 hrs in the oven, then we hit the road for 11 hrs, in tip top shape? NOT! How can they legally do this? Fine me all you want. Fine me enough so I can’t go to the stupid so called state of calif. I’d be more than happy to stop at the boarder and wave my finger at calif.
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:05 pm
I am a trucker in Calif, I travel through Baker on my way to Las Vegas. Also, Pahrump and Amargosa Valley, NV. Baker is the center point. Are they trying to tell me that making a trucker turn off his truck in Baker when it’s 115 degrees is a GOOD idea?? Most trucker’s can’t afford motels and/or the company won’t pay for one. I believe if you have a pet it’s an “exception”, you know, God forbid you hurt an animal, but it’s okay if the trucker dies. This might fly in NJ and NY, but California is a whole different world with extreme high temps in the summer. Wait until tired truckers start causing deaths and accidents because of lack of a good night’s/day’s rest. People will sue the company or the driver when they should be suing the state of California.
I know truckers that don’t own homes, the truck is their home, it seems to me to be a constitutional right to be comfortable in your own home.
July 16th, 2008 at 9:59 am
There are NO exceptions to this law. The State of California does not care how hot or cold it is … you cannot idle. They don’t care if you die in your truck … after all, you’re just a truck driver.
So … if you can, boycott this state. Do not take loads coming into or out of here. If you get a ticket and have to shut down, then wait 30 - 45 minutes and call an ambulance complaining of heat exhaustion and dehydration. Go to a hospital. Then either don’t pay the bill (putting a drain on the medical system) or hire a lawyer and sue the state / city for endangering your life. If youi have a pet, get in contact with PETA and ask for their help in getting an exception to this law for your pet. Contact OSHA, the Department of Labor, the Department of Transportation, and your Congress person. Ask each of them what they are doing to stop California from enforcing this law, since it creates a danger to the health of truck drivers. If you don’t belong, join OOIDA and ask for their help in fighting this law.
Just do SOMETHING! Truck drivers get blamed for a lot of things because they don’t have a combined voice. Make sure that yours gets heard!
September 16th, 2008 at 11:30 am
The heat in Ca is high 90’s. My company says we must obey the law. So far this week, three drivers have passed out and have required medical attention. Two drivers have recieved $300 tickets. Ca should be put on the list of terrorist.
October 29th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
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