.... and is against the law.
Idling in NYC by any vehicle for more than 3 minutes ...

... is against the NYC law, except when the temperature is less than 40 degrees F. [NYC Admin Code § 24-163]

• Ambulances are not exempt from the 3-minute law except when in active service. [NYS Policy Statement  05-01]
  
  
• School buses are allowed to idle for only 1 minute under a NYC metro area agreement. [NYS Attorney General Executive Law 63 (15)] Beginning July 2008 statewide, school buses will not be allowed to idle at all in school zones. [NYS Ed. Law sec. 36-37]
  
  
• Heavy-duty diesel trucks are allowed to idle for only 5 minutes under NYS law, unless the temperature is less than 25 degrees F and vehicle is motionless for 2 hours. [DEC Subpart 217-3]

NYC needs a one-minute idling law.