Green scene:

Truckers keep the midnight oil burning

by Rebekah Bovenmyer

You've probably pulled up to a truck stop or rest area at night and seen the line of semis sitting there with their fog lights on. They aren't moving, so why are the engines still running (called idling)?

Long-haul truckers keep the engine idling during their mandatory 10-hour break for some of the same reasons you may have left your car running when you're stuck waiting in the car:

• It's cold, and you want the heat on.
• It's hot, and you want the air conditioning on.
• You're listening to the radio.

Truckers have these same reasons to idle the engine and more. Those who are on the road for several days at a time have sleeper cabs to sleep in. These can be like mini apartments with a TV, computer, refrigerator, and microwave. They're hooked into the electrical system of the truck, so using them without the truck running will run down the battery, and the semi won't start in the morning.

"Depending on the weather and conditions, they might not idle the whole time," says Dennis Kroeger, transportation research specialist at the Center for Transportation Research and Education. "On the other hand, some are worried about security and don't want to open the windows, and I've had truckers tell me that the hum of the motor relaxes them."

Environmental effects

So, we understand why trucks idle, but what does that do to the environment? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that idling for long-range trucks

• uses 960 million gallons of diesel fuel each year (about 2,000 gallons per truck annually),
• adds 11 million tons of carbon monoxide into the air,
• generates 180,000 tons of nitrogen oxides, and
• puts 5,000 tons of particulate matter into the air (particulate matter is made up of microscopic chemicals that can get into our lungs and make us sick).

Alternatives to idling

There are some products and regulations to help reduce truck engine idling. First, the EPA required diesel engines sold in 2007 to emit less particulate matter. These new requirements will be expanded again in 2010.

Second, businesses are coming up with ways to power the truck without idling. Here are three alternatives to idling:

1. Auxiliary power units: small devices that go on the truck to provide air conditioning, heating, and electrical power.
2. Truck stop electrification: power units added on to truck stops and rest areas that hook up to a semi and provide heat, air, and power.
3. Shore power: electricity that truckers can plug into in the ground, like an RV can at an electric camp site.

The cost of installing this equipment in the truck and truck stop is still expensive. The cost of gas keeps rising, though, which might help speed up the adoption of these new technologies.

Hopefully, some of these alternatives to truck engine idling will help truckers keep their lights on without burning the midnight oil.