Piscataway, NJ Environmental Rules: Vehicle Idling Restrictions (2026)

Section 3-26.1, added by Ordinance No. 2018-02, targets truck idling noise and exhaust near homes. It applies to any portion of a non-residential use's rear or side yard that lies within 300 feet of a residential zone or a residentially developed lot, unless a noise abatement wall approved by the Township Supervisor of Engineering separates the two. Within that 300-foot band, idling a truck engine for more than three consecutive minutes while the vehicle is stationary is prohibited. Two exceptions apply: a vehicle may idle for up to 15 consecutive minutes if its engine had been stopped for three or more hours beforehand, and a vehicle actively connecting, detaching or exchanging trailers is exempt regardless of time.

Every qualifying non-residential lot must post at least two signs stating that idling for more than three minutes in a rear or side yard is prohibited and subject to a fine not to exceed $2,000; the Township Supervisor of Planning, or the Zoning or Planning Board within its jurisdiction, sets the size, lettering and placement of those signs. The rule sits in Chapter 3's police regulations alongside the Township's broader noise code, so a truck idling in violation of § 3-26.1 can also be measured against the outdoor decibel ceilings the Township added at § 3-2.6.