ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Did you know that if you’re caught idling for more than 15 minutes in Salt Lake City, Utah, you can be sent to jail for up to six months? And that’s the first time they catch you? A first offence in Colorado can lead to a year in the pen.

Imagine standing out in the rec area with the other felons: “What’re in for??”

“Idling my rig, sir.”

Of course Salt Lake’s rules might be a bit extreme — and chances are no judge is going to throw the entire weight of the book at you — but it’s certainly not the only place where legislators are sharpening the teeth of anti-idling laws. The rules are sweeping across the continent like a high-pressure front. That’s why it’s in your interest to know how the rules vary from place to place.

Canada has anti-idling bylaws too, but
they’re generally more severe in the US

That’s also why the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has published yet another version of its Idling Regulations Compendium, which identifies 34 American locations where idling is either restricted or prohibited, as well as the various fines or — as in the case of Salt Lake City — jail terms, that idlers can face.

In addition to the online compendium, ATRI provides the information on a cab card designed to be printed, folded and kept in the cab of the truck. To obtain a copy of the compendium and cab card, free of charge, visit ATRI online at http://www.atri-online.org (or click the link at the bottom f the page). Consider it your Get out of Jail Free Card.

While anti-idling bylaws are also appearing in Canadian municipalities, word has it that they’re not being too harshly enforced. Yet. And also as of yet there’s not central clearinghouse of information with all the various municipal bylaws, such as the one ATRI has produced.

However, a few of the municipalities with some form of anti-idling laws include: Vaughn, Ont.; Yellowknife; Vancouver; Guelph, Ont.; Kingston, Ont; London, Ont; Windsor, Ont. and Halifax.

Meantime, the Federal Government in Ottawa continues educating fleets and reducing idling via the Idle-Free campaign, which is entering its final month in February.

Across Canada, 70 truckstops are taking part, and that’s 52 more than played along when the project started five years ago.

The project uses various media such as placemats, posters and banners to educate drivers on the costs of keeping their engines on needlessly. Want to know more? Visit http://fleetsmart.gc.ca.