Business & Agriculture

If your organization...

Manages a vehicle fleet
Receives deliveries
Runs farm machinery
Wants to save money and be more environmentally responsible

...an idling reduction policy is for you! 

Protect Employee Health

  • Vehicle exhaust can exacerbate asthma and bronchitis. 
  • Chronic exposure to exhaust has been shown to increase the risk of respiratory illnesses, heart attacks, and cancer. 

Save Money

  • Idling is expensive. The typical gasoline- and diesel-fueled engine wastes about a gallon for every hour spent idle. Farm machinery tends to use even more fuel. Save money on fuel costs and maintenance by reducing unnecessary vehicle idling.   
  • Running an engine for over 10 seconds uses more gas than restarting the engine. Turn vehicles off when parked to save money on fuel.
  • Gasoline engines do not require warming prior to driving and modern diesel engines need only 3 minutes of warming. 
  • Idling causes twice as much wear on the engine as driving at highway speeds while significantly shortening engine oil life.

Help Air Quality

  • Linn County is continually working to improve the air quality by reducing air pollution.
  • Unnecessary idling contributes to air pollution. Vehicles, trucks, and combustion engines emit close to 40% of the total air pollution in Linn County, emitting pollutants that lead to the creation of ozone and air toxic pollutants.
  • A simple idle reduction policy can demonstrate that your organization is working to make our community healthier. This initiative is an easy way to be environmentally responsible. 

Be a Leader - Adopt an Idle-Reduction Policy

How Linn County Public Health Can Help

  • LCPH can provide an Idle-Free Zone kit, including sample policies, letters, fact sheets, and Idle-Free Zone parking signs. 
  • Provide outdoor Idle-Free Zone signs for pick-up and drop-off locations.
  • Offer free technical support. 
  • Promote and recognize Idle-Free efforts through press releases, Linn County Outdoor Air Quality website, and Linn County Public Health's Facebook page.