The most effective way of reducing exhaust emissions is
to ensure that vehicles spend as little time as possible on board
with their engines running. This applies not only to cargo-handling
vehicle (trucks, tractors, etc.) but also to vehicles being carried
as cargo (cars, buses, long-distance trucks, etc.). The speed at which
the vehicles are driven on board should also be appropriate to the
prevailing conditions.
Exhaust emissions are greatly influenced by driving techniques
and the temperature at which an engine is running. Smooth and steady
driving of a vehicle with a warm engine will generate the lowest exhaust
gas emissions. Sudden and heavy acceleration will cause a substantial
and often unnecessary rise in the pollution level. This is particularly
true when an engine is cold. Since slow speeds and slow acceleration
produce significantly lower levels of air pollutants than high speeds
and quick accelerations, vehicles should be accelerated very slowly
and kept at low speeds.
The essential points to note include
the following:
- condition of the engines;
- driving techniques;
- organization of the work (as few engines as possible running at
the same time);
- ensuring that drivers do not start their engines sooner than necessary;
and
- ensuring that the traffic flows steadily (thereby eliminating
heavy acceleration and high speeds). Exhaust emission control equipment
for both diesel and petrol engines may influence air quality during
embarkation. However, this is likely to have little effect during
disembarkation due to cold starting of engines.