Drivers May Have Less Time To Idle Near Schools

The drivers of cars, trucks, and schoolbuses idling outside schools will have 60 seconds to turn off their engines or face a fine from the city, if a new bill introduced yesterday by City Council Member of Queens, John Liu, is approved.

Cars currently are allowed to idle for three minutes before facing fines from the city, which Mr. Liu said range from $200 to $3,00 for repeat offenders. He also is proposing to amend an idling exemption for emergency vehicles, saying such vehicle is not in an emergency situation they should be required to comply with the regular idling rules.

The bill would require the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission to put questions related to idling on taxi driver exams, he said.