Regional Collaboration

Mission Statement

The Department of Development's strives to improve the County's global competitiveness through economic growth and ensure that Cuyahoga County is a vibrant, healthy and welcoming place.

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Vehicle Idling Reduction Guidelines

CUYAHOGA COUNTY VEHICLE IDLING REDUCTION GUIDELINES – August 7, 2008

Findings

In 2004, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared that eight counties in Northeast Ohio, including Cuyahoga, were moderate non-attainment areas under the federal 8-hour ozone standard. For fine particulate matter (PM2.5) Cuyahoga County is non-attainment area.  These non-attainment designations indicate that the levels of ozone and PM2.5 are above the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and that corrective actions must be taken to improve the county’s air quality.

These idling reduction guidelines are intended to address three significant issues in Cuyahoga County – public health, economic development, and the county budget.

Public Health

In May, 2008, the American Lung Association’s annual report card on air pollution, entitled “State of the Air, 2008”, indicated that, although Cuyahoga County’s ranking for ozone pollution had improved, it still has a failing grade for PM2.5.  Air pollution is a major public health concern in Ohio. Such contamination can cause or aggravate lung illnesses such as acute respiratory infections, asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and lung cancer. Exhaust from vehicles is a substantial source of ozone precursors and particulate matter, and idling increases citizen health risks. Reduced idling will assist the county in achieving EPA attainment status.

Economic Development

EPA non-attainment status counties are subject to New Source Review (NSR) permitting requirements and lowest available emission rates standard – the latter of which is formally known as Reasonable Available Control Technology (RACT) – both of which increase the cost of doing business in the area.  These standards adversely impact our regional commercial competitiveness.

County Fleet Expense

Research has shown that anti-idling guidelines save automotive maintenance costs by increasing fuel efficiency and reducing engine “wear and tear”. 

IDLING REDUCTION GUIDELINES

Effective immediately, no County vehicle or piece of equipment is to be idled in a non-emergency situation.  
The driver of a County vehicle must:
  1. Turn off the engine and remove keys from the ignition upon reaching a destination; and
  2. Not allow an engine to idle at any location for more than five minutes during any one-hour period.
The operator of an off-road piece of County equipment must:
  1. Turn off the engine and remove key from the ignition when the attendant is on breaks or at lunch; and
  2. Not allow an engine to idle at any location for more than five minutes.
  3. Idling is not permitted solely for the comfort of the driver or passenger(s).
Exceptions to this guideline permit idling when:
  1. Stopped for an official traffic control device or for traffic conditions over which the driver has no control;
  2. Emergency scene or public service use where lights, PTOs and/or other accessories are needed to complete the assignment;
  3. Necessary for accomplishing work for which the vehicle was designed;
  4. Required for vehicle inspection, maintenance, testing, or repair;
  5. The operator’s supervisor has authorized vehicle HVAC system use to avoid compromising the health, safety or welfare of the operator and/or passenger(s).
  6. Inclement weather situations are extent where use of the heater/defroster for crew comfort is required as follows:
    1. For five minutes, if outside temperature is above 32° F;
    2. For fifteen minutes, if the outside temperature is between –10° F and     32° F;
    3. As necessary, if the outside temperature is below –10° F;
  7. Recharging a battery or other energy storage unit of a hybrid electric vehicle/equipment.
NOTE:  Operators of vehicle/equipment and supervisors will be judicious in the idling of units at emergency scenes and job sites.  If all of the units at the scene/site do not need to idle, those units must be turned off and the keys removed from the ignition.

Each vehicle/equipment operator will be responsible for the idling operation of their unit and will have the unit keys in their possession to ensure that crewmembers do not arbitrarily violate the guideline without the operator’s knowledge.

Supervisors in each department/division will be responsible for adherence to and enforcement of the idling guidelines.  Violations of the guidelines are to be documented with details as to the vehicle/equipment operator, vehicle code, location, date, time, weather conditions, and circumstances of the violation. The vehicle/equipment operator will be informed of the violation by the supervisor at the time of the infraction.