The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 23 : Motor Vehicles

Chapter 013 : Operation of Vehicles

Subchapter 011 : MISCELLANEOUS RULES

• § 1110. Prohibited idling of motor vehicles

  (a)(1) General prohibition. A person shall not cause or permit operation of the primary propulsion engine of a motor vehicle for more than five minutes in any 60-minute period while the vehicle is stationary.

  (2) Exceptions. The five-minute limitation of subdivision (1) of this subsection shall not apply when:

  (A) a military vehicle; an ambulance; a police, fire, or rescue vehicle; or another vehicle used in a public safety or emergency capacity idles as necessary for the conduct of official operations;

  (B) an armored vehicle idles while a person remains inside the vehicle to guard the contents or while the vehicle is being loaded or unloaded;

  (C) a motor vehicle idles because of highway traffic conditions, at the direction of an official traffic control device or signal, or at the direction of a law enforcement official;

  (D) the health or safety of a vehicle occupant requires idling, or when a passenger bus idles as necessary to maintain passenger comfort while nondriver passengers are on board;

  (E) idling is necessary to operate safety equipment such as windshield defrosters, and operation of the equipment is needed to address specific safety concerns;

  (F) idling of the primary propulsion engine is needed to power work-related mechanical, hydraulic, or electrical operations other than propulsion, such as mixing or processing cargo or straight truck refrigeration, and the motor vehicle is idled to power such work-related operations;

  (G) a motor vehicle of a model year prior to 2018 with an occupied sleeper berth compartment is idled for purposes of air-conditioning or heating during a rest or sleep period;

  (H) a motor vehicle idles as necessary for maintenance, service, repair, or diagnostic purposes or as part of a State or federal inspection;

  (I) a school bus idles on school grounds in compliance with rules adopted pursuant to the provisions of subsection 1282(f) of this title;

  (J) the idling of vehicles at the place of business of a registered motor vehicle dealer is necessary to maintain the premises of the place of business; or

  (K) a motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less idles on a driveway or parking area on private property.

  (b) Operation of an auxiliary power unit, generator set, or other mobile idle reduction technology is an alternative to operating the primary propulsion engine of a motor vehicle and is not subject to the prohibition of subdivision (a)(1) of this section.

  (c) In addition to the exemptions set forth in subdivision (a)(2) of this section, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, in consultation with the Secretary of Natural Resources, may adopt rules governing times or circumstances when operation of the primary propulsion engine of a stationary motor vehicle is reasonably required.

  (d) A person adjudicated of violating subdivision (a)(1) of this section shall be:

  (1) assessed a penalty of not more than $10.00, which penalty shall be exempt from surcharges under 13 V.S.A. § 7282(a), for a first violation;

  (2) assessed a penalty of not more than $50.00 for a second violation; and

  (3) assessed a penalty of not more than $100.00 for a third or subsequent violation. (Added 2013, No. 57, § 28, eff. May 1, 2014.)