SALT LAKE CITY - Mayor Rocky Anderson has a new rule for city workers: If the car is running, it had better be moving, too, reported the Salt Lake City Tribune.
Anderson signed an executive order this week to limit idling in city vehicles or private cars used on official city business. Except for police cars and other emergency vehicles, Anderson's limit is five minutes. But he'd like to see it even shorter than that.
It doesn't take fuel to keep a vehicle still.
"We like to say you're getting zero miles per gallon," said Jordan Gates, Anderson's environmental adviser.
Anderson spokesman Patrick Thronson said department supervisors would be in charge of enforcing the mayoral edict and punishing any violators.
"It would likely include such things as warnings and possible loss of privileges if violations persisted," Thronson said.
According to the California Energy Commission's Consumer Energy Center, idling for five minutes consumes as much fuel as driving for about 2 1/2 minutes. Idling for one hour can burn a gallon of gasoline.
Thronson said citizens who don't fall under Anderson's order should also consider turning off the car instead of letting it run while parked.
"Clearly idling is a wasteful practice," he said. "It's bad for vehicles, and it's something that all Salt Lake City residents should be aware of and try to eliminate in each of their own personal lives."
