Idling cars waste untold amounts of gasoline every year. Much of this is a combination of time spent in traffic jams and mistaken automotive myths (many people believe, for example, that idling wastes less gasoline than shutting down and restarting a car, though in reality, that’s only true for idling less than 10 seconds – any longer, and you’re better off killing the engine).

Much of this waste, however, occurs not in traffic jams but at rest stops. Long-distance truckers are required by law to rest for 10 hours out of every 24, which is why the nation’s highways are littered with truck stops. Unfortunately, many truckers tend to leave the engine running so they can stay warm in inhospitable climates, as well as use cabin appliances such as stoves and television sets when the truck is at rest without draining its batteries. This is bad for everyone involved – shipping companies have to absorb the extra cost, which, given recent increases in gas prices, cuts into already-thin margins; noise and pollution along the nation’s roads are increased considerably; and the fuel waste amounts to as much as 1.2 billion gallons of gasoline every year.

Fortunately, several truck parts & accessories have been developed recently that could help curb the excess. About 10 percent of trucks on the road today already have auxiliary power units (APUs), though those still run on diesel. Energy efficiency company Glacier Bay has taken another step forwards by developing an all-electric system called ClimaCab. According to company spokespeople, this system includes a number of batteries, as well as smart power management and variable-speed fans, and can keep a truck’s cab at 75 degrees for about 10 hours. Aside from climate control, the system can also provide power to other electrical appliances. The system isn’t cheap – it costs $6000-7000 to install on a standard sleeper truck – but according to Glacier Bay, the cost of the system can be recouped within 1-2 years.

ClimaCab has been on the market for a couple of years now, but given that many states are both stepping up anti-idling enforcement and providing tax incentives and other breaks to shipping companies, adoption of electrical APUs is set to accelerate in the near future. Many transportation companies, including long-range truckers and auto shippers stand to reap long-term benefits from the reduced gasoline use, not to mention the improvements in air quality near truck stops and highways.