An Illinois proposal to increase idling fines by as much as 500 percent is scheduled to be heard Wednesday, March 4, in the House Vehicles & Safety Committee, according to the Mid-West Truckers Association.
HB 2664, sponsored by Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D-Des Plaines), would raise the fine for excessive diesel idling from $50 for a first offense to $250; a second offense would increase from $150 to $500.
MTA says the bill also includes a significant incentive for local law enforcement to write tickets because it gives $150 to the arresting law enforcement agency for each ticket they write; in addition, the much higher fines would require a mandatory court appearance for a violation of the state’s idling law.
In 2007, the Illinois Legislature enacted idling limits in the Chicago-Area and in the St. Louis Metro-East areas. Trucks are limited to idling for 10 minutes per hour; however, there are various exemptions, including when temperatures are below 32 degrees or above 80 degrees.
