1. Diesel Truck Idling Reduction
Grant Program
Driving the Green Highway Expo
State Energy Office
November 1, 2013

2. Wisconsin Diesel Truck Idling
Reduction Grant Program
• Assist motor carriers in the purchase and
installation of idle reduction equipment
• Cost sharing program to reduce diesel truck
idling
• The primary goals:
– Reduce air pollution emissions
– Reduce fuel consumption
– Promote field testing

3. Why was the Program Created?
• Trucking Industry worked with the state
legislature to address the:
– Rising fuel costs
– Anti-idling laws throughout the country
– A need to field test before making the investment
– Motor carriers pay a significant amount of fuel
and road taxes; return on investment

4. Diesel Idling Reduction Grant Program
• Created by the Governors Budget Bill, 2005
Wisconsin Act 25
• WI motor carriers that own and operate their
truck tractors are eligible for up to 50% of the
cost of the unit and installation
• $1 Million will become available July 1, 2014

5. What is the Funding Source?
• Petroleum Environmental Clean Up Fund
Award (PECFA) –funded by the states
petroleum inspection fees of $0.02 gallon
• Funding is appropriated in the states biennial
budget and has a sunset date of June 30, 2015
• SEO is working to remove that provision of the
statute

6. Why Use Idling Reduction
Technologies?
• In Wisconsin more than 13,000 long-haul heavyduty trucks idle overnight for required rest stops
at least some fraction of the time, using almost
14 million gallons of fuel per year.
• Can be reduced without compromising driver
comfort or vehicle equipment operations.
• Provides significant fuel savings. Reducing fuel
consumption will minimize the financial impact of
costly diesel fuel to businesses as well as reduce
the effects of diesel fuel pollution, which can
negatively impact human health.

7. Allocations
• Allocations for small fleets. The department may
annually allocate up to 25 percent of the grant
funding, for awarding to applicants who own and
operate 50 or fewer truck tractors.
• In any fiscal year the department may not pay to
any one applicant more than 20 percent of the
amount appropriated
• The department may set cutoff dates for
accepting the applicants and then prorate the
awards to the applicants if the total funding
requested exceeds the available funds

8. Eligibility
• Applicants must meet certain requirements:
– Common, contract or private motor carrier
transporting freight
– Headquartered in Wisconsin
• Applicants principal central administrative office is located in
WI, or
• Applicant business pays at least 80% of its payroll to
employees employed in Wisconsin
• Owns and operates their truck-tractor
• Complies with grant conditions
• Must pay at least 50% of the cost of the unit
and installation

9. Technologies

10. Types of Idling Reduction Technologies
•
•
•
•
•
APU – Auxiliary Power Units
BP – Battery Powered Units
ERS - Energy Recovery Systems
DFH- Direct Fired Heaters
SmartWay Verified Technologies List
– http://www.epa.gov/smartway/technology/idling.htm
• You Choose!

11. Eligible Units
Only trucks with post-1998 diesel truck engines are eligible.
Applicant’s Number of Eligible
Trucks
Maximum Number of Units Funded
1
1
2 to 10
2
11 to 50
2 or 10% of the applicants eligible
truck tractors*
51 to 250
6 or 7% of the applicant’s eligible
truck tractors*
251 to 500
18 or 6% of the applicant’s eligible
truck tractors*
501 to 2,500
30 or 5% of the applicant’s eligible
truck tractors*
Over 2,500
125 or 3% of the applicant’s eligible
truck tractors
*Whichever is greater

12. Reporting
• Grant recipients are required to submit a
baseline, six, and twelve month report provided
by the department
• The baseline and twelve month reports will
include an engine download (ECM)
• Data requested includes
–
–
–
–
Miles per gallon
Idling time
Vehicle usage
Drivers opinions

13. Awards from 2007-2012
• More than 2,143 idling reduction technologies
have been funded
• $7.8 million dollars has been allocated to
participating fleets
• Each year more than 1 million gallons of diesel
fuel are saved
– Environmental health
– Human health

14. Diesel Truck Idling Reduction Grant Program Award Totals
Fiscal Year Fleet Size
Units
Award Amount
FY07
Large Fleet
185 $
747,274.64
FY07
Small Fleets
49 $
252,725.36
Total
2 $
1,000,000.00
FY08
Large Fleet
431 $
1,469,092.17
FY08
Small Fleets
121 $
457,788.66
Total
552 $
1,926,880.83
FY09
Large Fleet
130 $
482,170.10
FY09
Small Fleets
116 $
442,105.09
Total
246 $
924,275.19
FY10
Large Fleet
456 $
1,593,316.71
FY10
Small Fleets
106 $
406,683.29
Total
562 $
2,000,000.00
FY12
Large Fleet
211 $
756,556.88
FY12
Small Fleets
60 $
242,833.44
Total
271 $
999,390.32
FY13
Large Fleet
223 $
748,402.35
FY13
Small Fleets
55 $
251,597.65
Total
278 $
1,000,000.00
Grand Total
2,143 $
7,850,546.34

15. Challenges

16. Lessons Learned +
• Wisconsin motor carriers clearly accept idle
reduction equipment as a cost saving
necessity
• Increased fuel mileage
• Reduced idling time
• Prevent cold-starts
• Reduced air emissions
• Driver comfort

17. Lessons Learned • Driver training /awareness is necessary
• Eliminate paperwork
– Reports are cumbersome
– ECMs are expensive to acquire
•
•
•
•
Weight of the units
Additional cost to upkeep the units
Leased vehicles are not eligible
More funding

18. In Summary
– Provides a financial incentive for trucking
companies to experiment with idling reduction
units
– Funding has been approved in the state biennial
budget, funds will be available on July 1, 2014
– Sign up on our website to be notified of when the
application will become available

19. State Energy Office
The State Energy Office is committed to supporting
Wisconsin's policy of assisting in the deployment of
reliable, balanced, cost-effective and environmentally
responsible energy projects. The Office assists
business, industry, and local governments with
information and financial assistance with clean energy
projects. http://www.stateenergyoffice.wi.gov/
Jean.Beckwith@wisconsin.gov