The idling restrictions are great ideas, but they are never enforced. Sure, there might even be signs up, but come on -- which cop or meter maid is going to give a ticket for idling? Most don't even know the law.

So, it's good that it's going on the books, since it demonstrates the issue has some interest in the state legislature and general public policy, but it won't reduce idling one iota.

The only way to reduce idling is to replace engine components so that the vehicle's engine turns off automatically when it is in park/neutral with brake.

They do! The bus operators in the New York City(the one on strike lately) does comply with this law. As a matter of fact, it makes a huge difference in New York City. When the engine is on, it's noisy and filthy(from the tail pipe). The MTA even has some hybrid buses serving the greater metropolitan area of New York.

A few weeks ago I drove across Illinois on I-80 and was suprised to see how many 18 wheelers were crowded in to rest areas and parked on entrance and exit ramps. Considering the near freezing temps I suspect most were idling their engines in spite of the law.

There is a reason diesel operators idle their engines for long periods, and it has to do with wear and tear on the engines. Over 90% of the wear an engine experiences is at startup! Also, many of the railways for this reason allow their big two cycle EMD and four stroke GE powered locomotives to run for weeks at a time.

Diesel transportation companies are finding that due to recent Government regulations the following is occuring:
1) New engines use about twice the fuel as the old ones due to NOX regulations.
2)The new low sulfur fuel creates extreme wear in older fuel injection pumps,
3) The new boutique diesel fuels(there will be over 50 unique blends mandated this coming year, compared to one standard blend used last year) WILL create higher fuel costs; energy analysts are estimating $5 per gallon by next summer.
4) New idling regulations are causing maintenance costs to go up.

Now do you understand why the things you buy at the store have been skyrocketing in costs, lately? When these regulations are applied to agricultural applications soon, your food prices will go up even more.