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Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation has received a $65 million contract from IdleAire Technologies Corp. for a system that eliminates most diesel truck idling at truck stops. This advancement provides immediate and long-term improvements in air quality and fuel conservation.

Eaton's Power Truss system, a key component of IdleAire's ATE Advanced Travel Center Electrification system, will be deployed at 210 truck stops and fleet terminals nationwide that are planned during the next 12 months. IdleAire's system equips long-haul drivers with substitute power so they can turn off their diesel engines during required rest stops, eliminating 100 percent of idling emissions. IdleAire said a truck using its system consistently for one year would save 3,366 gallons of fuel. The benefits of this technology increase exponentially when all long-haul trucks use the system, IdleAire said, resulting in a potential savings of 4.4 billion gallons each year.

"With escalating fuel costs, tightening emissions requirements, and highway safety issues, our partnership with IdleAire yields an immediate and long-term solution to the trucking industry that addresses air quality, fuel conservation, and training issues," said Randy Carson, Eaton senior vice president and president of its electrical business. "Additionally, we're thrilled to contribute to an advancement that substantially improves the quality of life for our nation's truck drivers, as they transport more than 80 percent of our nation's goods."