Idling buses and cars foul city air

There has been an increase in motorists letting their vehicles' engines idle during cold weather. The situation is worst, when drivers of buses and cars leave their engines running in places where there are many pedestrians: final stops of bus lines, Metro stations, and in front of stores and day care centres.
      In late January and early February, Helsinki Parking Control and the Pulmonary Association (HELI) campaigned against idling engines.
      During the week-long campaign seven fines were handed out and 20 warnings were given.
      "It is hard to catch a driver, because they usually have time to turn off the engine when they see a parking monitor or a police officer approaching", says parking monitor Keijo Kuoppala.
      The newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet reported on Saturday that at the Ruskeasuo bus depot of Helsingin Bussiliikenne, 81 of the 180 buses stopped there had their engines running on Thursday evening. There were only a couple of bus operators, whose depots had no idling engines.
     
Based on feedback, and on discussions on Internet message boards, leaving engines running is quite common during cold weather. At times it is hard to even see the buses for all of the blue smoke.
      One man living next to the Koskela bus depot wrote in to complain that once last week all buses there had their engines running. "We live next door, and the stench was terrible."
      Drivers often run their engines in cold weather to make it easier for the bus to start and to keep the windows clear.
     
At Helsingin Bussiliikenne, technical director Aku Tuokila says that the company has already started dealing with the problem.
      "Leaving engines running is unequivocally forbidden. The same regulations apply to us that apply to everyone else. Naturally the vehicles are washed and tanked at night, but things have gone too far here", Tuokila says.
      He says that nighttime idling is not the fault of the drivers, who are not at work at that time.
      "All of the buses have heaters, and most of them have a half-hour timer. There is no need to keep engines running during breaks, but perhaps some want just a little bit more warmth. There are heated facilities at the depots", Tuokila says.
     
At Concordia, another bus operator, technical director Juha Ketola says that the company's depots have workers who start the engines of the buses a couple of minutes before the driver arrives.
      Helsinki residents are also annoyed by the unnecessary exhaust from taxis and delivery vans.
      Heikki Kovanen, managing director of the delivery service Kuljetus Kovanen, says that his company has been cutting back on engine idling for years.
      "We have invested heavily into engine heating, and it is a worthwhile investment. Idling wastes fuel. In urban driving it constitutes about 15 per cent of consumption", Kovanen says.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Street dust may weaken air quality in Helsinki noticeably (14.3.2006)
  Poor air quality caused by cold weather, street dust, and exhaust fumes troubles Helsinki residents (17.3.2005)
  Helsinki considers restrictions on car traffic because of increased air pollutants (27.1.2006)