Tactic Ideas

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The following tactics are ideas which were generated through the two years of implementing this program. They are offered as concepts for enhancing an idling reduction program.

School-Based

• Recruit parents, older students, and crossing guards to approach idling parents with informational materials and request that they "pledge" their commitment to change their behavior.

• Create and display signage at school drop zones.

• Encourage crossing guards to wear vests with "No Idling" message.

• Provide reminder stickers to parents for their cars.

• Solicit businesses or families to "adopt a school" and fund or sponsor all the signage (recognition would be similar to the adopt-a-highway program).

• Sponsor Metro Networks radio spots (traffic reports) during school start and end times to encourage parents not to idle.

• Distribute informational card at time of school registration.

• Package (x) ounces of simulated pollution-like material and hand it out with informational card to illustrate for parents how much particulate matter their vehicles generate after (x amount of time) idling ("This is what your child is breathing when you idle during pick-up/drop off").

• Create a large glass display filled with (x) pounds of material with large signage illustrating the amount of particulate matter being generated during a normal week, so that drivers can read as they drop off and pick up their children.

• Develop a pair of glasses with lenses that illustrate how polluted air would be if a year's worth of exhaust from vehicles dropping off and picking up were concentrated all at once.

• Display a large digital counter illustrating pounds of pollutants produced and eliminated on display at school during drop off and pick-up times.

• Create a display inside schools (aimed at students) showing the impact of not idling for (x) minutes per week, versus the air quality gains they can make by recycling (x) aluminum cans, (x) glass jars, using compact fluorescents, etc.

• Have groups of older students go to elementary schools during pick-up times and offer free car washes (with biodegradable soaps, etc.) to drivers who shut off their cars.

• Have students hand out vouchers for one free car wash or other incentive for pizza, ice cream, oil change, etc. to drivers who shut off their cars.

• Include messaging and information in driver training class curriculum.

• Include messaging and information or idling reduction policy suggestions in bus contracts, policy books, instruction manuals, driver training during the hiring process, and driver annual performance evaluation criteria.

• Send notices to visiting sports teams:  "New policy - No idling at our school."

• Assign students a project to log the individual destination trips and idling time for their family.

Community Based

• Work with AAA, Better World Club, Mapquest, etc., to distribute and post idling reduction messages.

• Develop signage at drawbridges, valet parking areas, drive- through windows, transit terminals, near ATMs, loading docks, etc.

• Create art and copy for newsletter placement.

• Partner with retailers to offer discounts for drivers "caught being good" and not idling their vehicles.

• Ask other transportation related programs to carry the idling reduction message as a part of theirs.

Medical Based

• Ask pediatricians to distribute idling reduction information to the parents of school-aged children.

• Work with drug companies that produce pharmaceuticals for treating health problems related to poor air quality; request that they become third party advocates for the campaign and that they include messaging in their promotional and educational efforts.

Vehicle Based

• Partner with vehicle maintenance and oil change chains to include idling reduction message on window statics.

• Ask dealers to include a flyer with the purchase of every new and used car.

• Post information on gas pumps about how not idling saves money and improves air. This program asked that individuals not idle their vehicles any longer than 30 seconds.

• Request that gas stations print one or two factoids on receipts customers receive at pump.

• Partner with Department of Licensing to distribute information with registration and renewal forms.

• Distribute information during bi-annual, mandatory emissions testing.

Fleets

• Invite largest fleet owners in state to breakfast with the Governor, where they'll be briefed on the issue and asked by the Governor to pledge to stop idling.

• Request that fleet owners of delivery vehicles display signs and stickers that they proudly don't idle.

• Work with driver associations and large fleet operators to create idling reduction policies.

• Create and post graphic illustrations showing how idling drastically increases pollutant exposure for both drivers and those who load/unload vehicles.

• Partner with local retailers to provide incentives awarded to drivers/businesses "caught being good" and not idling.

Media

• Work with media partner to create an advertising and content campaign around the issue.

• Develop a "Ten Worst Places to Breathe" list.

• Conduct toxicity tests at target locations.

• Issue official medical alerts for those with medical conditions to avoid idle zones.

• Enlist pediatricians to announce a health warning about the increase of juvenile asthma and the impact of vehicle idle zones.

• Create art and copy for public service announcement (PSA) and web placement.

• Request that TV meteorologists remind people not to idle as they wrap up their forecasts and their air quality reports.

• Produce tail bus boards with myths and stats about frequent engine starts and idling.

• Conduct additional research to gather firmer science about number of individual trips made by families and their idling times.

• Encourage the media to do time tests for buses idling at schools.

• Create a 30-second radio spot telling people "you shouldn't idle your car longer than this."

Miscellaneous

• Identify speakers who can articulate the need and influence a commitment (e.g., company leaders who have pledged to stop idling, children with asthma, families that have lost a member due to air pollution exposure).

• Create informational card with matrix showing (for an average car) how much a car pollutes in a certain amount of time and how much money would be saved if the car wasn't idling for the same amount of time (or, conversely, how much money was wasted by burning unnecessary gas).