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Idle" Law
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Auxiliary Power Units for
Over the Road Trucks
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No Idle Threat
New anti-Idling regulations offer yet another incentive to limit your idling.
If saving fuel isn't enough to get you to limit idling, maybe a ticket would provide a little extra motivation. At least 14 states and two dozen local governments have restrictions on how long you can idle, and more are joining the list every year.
The trucking industry's biggest complaints about these regulations are their inconsistency and that they often fail to consider real-world trucking operations.
Time limits may be three minutes, five minutes, 15 minutes. In one area you may be facing a $25 fine, in another $500. Some laws include exemptions such as traffic congestion, maintenance, cold temperatures, sleeper berths, hours of service compliance, or the safety/health of drivers or passengers. Others offer no exemptions at all.
"Truck drivers want to do the right thing, but often times they're having difficulty because each of the idling laws may be different," says Suzanne Rudzinski, director for transportation and regional programs at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "Something that may be legal one place is not legal someplace else. One type of [idle reduction] technology may be appropriate in one place and not someplace else. So they're not sure what they need to do to comply in any given area."
Another problem is that the writers of the regulations did not look at real-life considerations. Many don't allow exemptions for the safety and comfort of sleeping truckers. Some regulations would prohibit using your truck's refrigeration unit – trailer full of melted ice cream, anyone? Others would not allow a cement mixer to keep the barrel turning, which would mean a big hard block of concrete. Some truckers have even been ticketed for using their auxiliary power units, which they installed in order to reduce idling.
"They haven't really thought it through," says Glen Kedzie, environmental counsel at the American Trucking Assns. "The people who made the laws don't realize this is our office, this is our hotel, this is our residence. We eat here, we sleep here, we work here."
Emissions reduction, especially in EPA non-attainment areas, is the main force driving these regulations. "We're interested in that, and also interested in fuel efficiency," says the EPA's Rudzinski. "Our estimates are that about a billion gallons of fuel is spent each year in unnecessary idling [by trucks and trains]. We think [idling restrictions are] good from an energy security standpoint and an emissions standpoint, and the states are looking at it from the same standpoint."
As more states and local governments consider idling restrictions, the EPA is working with states and the trucking industry to establish voluntary guidelines for improved anti-idling laws.
The agency is currently hosting a series of workshops across the country to develop a "model idling law" to help guide states, cities or counties that want to regulate idling. At these meetings, representatives from air pollution control agencies, the trucking industry, environmental groups and others are discussing topics such as time limits, exemptions and fines.
The workshops are scheduled to wrap up by the end of this month, and the agency hopes to publish idling regulation guidelines by the end of the year.
Rudzinski emphasizes that this is a voluntary program. The agency is not contemplating federal idling regulations, nor it is encouraging states to adopt or not adopt idling laws. "We're not in the traditional command and control approach that everyone thinks of the EPA," she says. "Any state that wants to do something different is certainly free to do so."
Nevertheless, Kedzie says a number of states are holding off on the development of idling regulations until they see the model regulation. Trucking industry officials also hope some jurisdictions will revise their current laws in response.
"The thing that could gum up the works is the state of California does not necessarily follow EPA's recommendations," says Linda Gaines, a researcher with Argonne National Laboratory who studies ways to reduce idling in order to reduce petroleum imports. "California goes their own way, and is thinking of some regulations right now that are not consistent with what any model regulations might be."
In a recent workshop on the proposed regulations, she says, the California Air Resources Board proposed that all trucks over 14,000 pounds be equipped with an automatic shutoff device, and that pollution controls be required on any auxiliary power unit in a new truck. (That's better than what they were proposing last summer, she says, which was a five-minute limit on the APU running.)
"So you could have a truck with an APU that's compliant with idling regulations in the rest of the country," Gaines says, "drive into California and couldn't use it because it didn't have appropriate pollution control itself."
APUs are just one of the issues being discussed in the EPA workshops.
One of the big topics in these sessions is temperature exemptions. Many idling laws allow idling during cold temperatures, such as below 20 degrees, but that varies – and exemptions for hot weather are rare.
"Everyone's trying to figure out what that magical temperature is on the low end and the high end," says Linda Van Arsdale, vice president of public affairs for NATSO, the national truckstop organization. She was at the first EPA workshop in Washington, D.C., where the attendees were divided into three groups to discuss the issues. Her group was trying to come up with guidelines for temperature exemptions.
"My working group basically came up with the conclusion that at this point in time, there should be a sleeper berth exemption – period." Everyone has a different level of sleeping comfort in various temperatures, attendees pointed out. State officials were working under the assumption that truckers could roll the windows down for comfort in moderate temperatures, Van Arsdale says, "but you can't roll down your windows and sleep soundly for the night when you're in a parking lot with 200 other trucks, because you have to worry about security and theft."
The need for truckers to wait in line to load or unload is another issue of discussion. "If you're waiting in line to pick up a load, that's beyond your control," Kedzie says. "You're not going to keep stopping and starting your truck every time the line moves a little bit – and if you go out of line [in order] not to idle, you lose your place in line."
One possibility suggested during the EPA workshops was making the company that owns the dock facility responsible for trucks that are idling in violation of regulations. Van Arsdale reported some support for this idea at her workshop, but there was also concern that this might lead to broader laws making any property owner, such as truckstops, responsible for vehicles breaking anti-idling laws.
Many laws restricting idling are not regularly enforced, Kedzie says. New York, California and New Jersey are among those who are enforcing them. The San Francisco Chronicle reported earlier this year that state inspectors, local police and the California Highway Patrol were enforcing the new five-minute idling rule, which calls for a $100 fine. Truck drivers who sleep in their trucks are currently exempt, but state officials have said they will reconsider that exemption.
Just because you're not idling in California, New York or New Jersey, don't think you're off the hook, Kedzie says. "They're on the books, so the opportunity is there." Tickets have been written in areas near anti-idling electrification facilities "to more or less herd people into the electrification facilities," he says. "In some jurisdictions, we see folks that just don't like trucks, and here's a law they can pull out and exercise whenever they want."
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Auxiliary power units (APUs) are portable, truck-mounted systems that can provide climate control and power for trucks without idling. These systems generally consist of a small internal combustion engine (usually diesel) equipped with a generator and heat recovery system to provide electricity and heat. For air conditioning, an electrically powered air-conditioner unit is normally installed in the sleeper, although some systems use the truck's air-conditioning system. The simplest APU is a direct-fired heater. Developed in the 1950s, these systems can be used to heat both the sleeper cabin and the engine as necessary. Direct-fired heaters cannot provide air conditioning or power for other applications such as a television or microwave. More sophisticated auxiliary power units consist of a generator powered by a diesel engine, a compressor, an alternator, and an inverter/charger. These units are fully integrated into the truck's heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system. In addition, the inverter/charger allows the system to provide electric power to the cab and sleeping compartment. In the future we may be able to use a gasoline- or diesel-powered solid oxide fuel cell as a power source for an APU. BenefitsAuxiliary power units can help truck drivers comply with local idling ordinances, reduce emissions and noise, and save on the cost of truck fuel and maintenance. Because most auxiliary power units are integrated directly into the truck's systems, they offer a high level of convenience. In addition, APUs are a proven technology that is widely available and is even sold as an option on some new trucks. CostsAuxiliary power units available today range in cost from $1,500 for direct-fired heaters (providing heat only) to $7,000 for auxiliary power units (combined cab heat/air conditioning, electric power, and heat to engine and fuel). The units also can add 300 pounds or more onto the weight of the truck—which has a negligible effect on fuel economy but could reduce the load that weight-limited trucks could carry. |
BLACKROCK - The APU with Power, Performance and Reliability
A product of passion and persistence, Black Rock's Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) designs are rooted in aerospace standards. Test after test — both at the computer and in the field — have confirmed its steadfast reliability. In addition, the BLACKROCK Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) has superior features: Choice of either a 2- or 3- cylinder YANMAR diesel engine, YANMAR’s engines are EPA Tier II and EU emissions compliant, Choice of Blackrock generator capacity based on customer’s needs, Best air conditioning and heating output in the industry (26,000 BTU/hr) 120 volt AC electrical power 55 amps of 12 volt DC electrical power, Best in class oil change interval (1,000 hours) and one of the best warranties in the industry (2 years, 4,000 hours) fully supported by YANMAR, Stand alone design independent of main engine's systems, Blackrock's Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) is professionally engineered and tested for reliability and ease of maintenance, Black Rock’s configurable Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) systems supports multiple engine manufacturer choices, Optional steps, Optional cold weather Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) starting package. See Blackrock APU Spec Sheet or Blackrock User Manual.
WITH BLACKROCK, THE CUSTOMER COMES FIRST! - Black Rock Systems LLC is committed to providing the most reliable APU to its customers with the highest degree of power and performance. YANMAR is committed to providing Black Rock Systems with diesel engines that provide the power that is required, performance that can be depended upon, and proven reliability so that Black Rock can meet the needs of its customers. Black Rock is committed to providing an APU that is easy to service, reducing downtime. Black Rock is committed to providing its customers with a customer support network of dealers that you can call in the event of a problem. Black Rock is working to grow its list of dealers every day. Black Rock has an “800” hotline to answer any questions or problems that arise should a dealer be unavailable.
For more information on APU's, see the Blackrock Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) FAQ Section, Blackrock Warranty Information.
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BLACKROCK APU - SPECIFICATIONS CHART
BLACKROCK APU CONNECTIONS TO THE TRUCK
The BLACKROCK APU is connected to the truck’s fuel tanks for fuel pick-up and return
The APU is connected to the truck’s main batteries for APU startup and battery charging
BLACKROCK has a self-contained coolant and A/C condenser system
Condenser mounted inside of the APU not on the back wall of the cab
- Radiator and dual electric radiator fans contained within the APU for
- cooling in extreme heat- APU does not share coolant with the main engine
Exhaust ducted to rear of truck preventing exhaust from entering the sleeper compartment
Pre-terminated hoses and A/C lines for simple and foolproof installation
Quick disconnect and keyed electrical cables for ease of service and to prevent installation errors
BLACKROCK APU - OPTIONAL FEATURES
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BLACKROCK APU - CONTROL PANEL FEATURES
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BLACKROCK APU - HVAC UNIT
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Airflow:
405 CFM |
- APU coolant circulation for cab heating
- Automotive style, mechanical A/C system
- Condenser inside of APU
- Self
contained HVAC box
- Evaporator, heater core and fan
- Ducts either independent or tapped into existing sleeper works
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Affordable BLACKROCK Truck Generator APU Diesel Powered Gensets- Your answer to the No Idle Law