WASHINGTON — The federal government’s controversial truck speed limiter rule has been delayed once again and is now set to be published in May.
Originally scheduled to roll out by mid-2023, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration pushed the date back to Dec. 29 of last year.
But according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s latest significant rulemaking report, the speed limiter rule will not be out for another five months — or possibly longer.
The rule would require that trucks weighing over 26,000 pounds be equipped with an electronic speed governor to set the device at a maximum speed, which is expected to be revealed in the rule.
Owner-operators generally oppose the rule, contending it would stifle driving flexibility and lead to more crashes. Safety groups and large carriers — particularly trucking companies that already set limits on their trucks for economic as well as for safety reasons — support a federal mandate.
At a hearing on Capitol Hill in December, House Republicans pushed back against the proposed regulation and whether the rulemaking process was being conducted ethically.
U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, at the hearing questioned former FMCSA chief Robin Hutcheson about a potential connection between FMCSA rescinding in September a 68 mph limit on electronic speed governors in trucks — which had initially been included in a previous agenda summary — and a fundraiser she attended the same week.
Nehls claimed that the fundraiser was sponsored by labor unions and large trucking companies that he said had been pressuring FMCSA to set speed limiters at 60 mph. Hutcheson asserted, however, that the agency does not discuss pending rules with industry stakeholders.
FMCSA updates autonomous truck, carrier fitness rulemakings
Also delayed by FMCSA is a proposed rule on autonomous trucking. As with the speed limiter rule, the automated driving systems (ADS) rule, which would amend regulations relating to truck operations, inspection, repair and maintenance, was scheduled to be published in December. According to the latest agenda, however, the ADS rule is now scheduled for March.
In addition, FMCSA has set June 2025 as the date for rollout of a proposed rule on carrier safety fitness and revamping how the agency identifies unsafe motor carriers. That date is 20 months after the comment period ended, in October 2023, on an advance notice for the rule.
FMCSA earlier this month published a “notice of data availability” in the proposed rule’s docket to notify the public about studies it could rely on to develop the rule, which will be used to determine a carrier’s safety fitness rating.
Tommy Doss
This only make things worse than they are they need to pass a law that all trucks be governed to 70 MPH minimum they are impeding traffic to much now at 65 mph the problem is with the schools need to make changes with them driver’s need to keep their permit until they have completed their on the road training with a trainer and then take the driving portion of the test with a DOT officer instead of a trainer at the school were it’s no fail my cousin was a trainer over 2 years and quit because he got tiered of taking them back and telling the company that they have no business behind the wheel of a truck that they would kill someone but instead of firing them they put them with another trainer until one passed them that’s why they are so many unsafe drivers on the road nowadays the mega carriers are the worst the ATA should have several owner operators as members not just ceo’s of the mega carriers who are just out to put the little man out of business
Gregory Brown
I have been driving trucks for 21 years and so many rules have been put on us truckers it is ridiculous, things like the FMCSA 2010,the 30 minute break rule,75 mph speed rated tires,safety radars on trucks,electronic logs,etc.
All the freedom driving a truck has been taken away,it is no longer a desirable job or career,this is a very boring and dangerous job,things like the 30 minute break, i realize we can still drive 11 hours but parking a 73 foot rig is almost impossible,the DOT wants to fuss about the accident rate but look at all the foreign truckers the government sent to school and bought rigs for because freight couldn’t be transported easily, parking is now available for only 1 out of every 11 trucks,speaking of foreign truckers i have caught several of them washing their feet in truckstop restroom sinks,also,i have lost several trucks due to them backing in to me while i am parked and asleep,i even had one hit the back of my trailer soo hard that it ripped a large hole in the aluminum rail,the main problem on the road is not experienced truck drivers or owner operators, it is mainly the foreign drivers who most of the time cannot even speak English, they are the o nes that don’t need to be able to drive trucks most of them try to drive them like cars
Tim Follis
Why don’t we just go back to horse and buggy they need to not listen to swift Wariner and other mega companies it’s not our fault that you have steering wheel holders and not real drivers.
The truth
Drivers should start stacking their cash right now. For when they do this, we can shutdown America for awhile.
Jose
Ban driver car license that drive crazy cut out in front of a truck cause the accident and then disappeared and all time is the truck fault said the state.That is how accidents start is not truck fault is lot moran driver car in street.
Bradley Blevins
Yet another well thought out attempt by the unelected to make our country better. Only one problem. It NEVER works. In all of their “research” I’ve seen nothing concerning the effect this will have economically. This rule will negatively effect traffic patterns that are already strained to the max by causing backups, increased accidents and transit times. Rates will have to increase and therefore consumers will get the bill. But at least they will have more time to think about it while they sit in traffic on the way to Walmart.
Kyle
If they want to put speed limiters on trucks they have to put them on 4wheelers also how cam they say we are held to a higher standard because we are professional drivers but then inhibit us and not let us make our own choices there are posted speed limits and to be honest it is more dangerous for us not to be able to go with the flow of traffic and if you own your own truck that should be your own choice on what it goes the gov/fsmca has no right to tell people how fast they have there truck set to
PATRICK ODONNELL
It would be wonderful in a perfect world if people followed the rules of the road….The completely ridiculous comment about running at the rate of speed of the traffic rather than the posted speed limit is patently ridiculous. I am a resource to the courts and legal system and the majority of fatalities to the public caused by truckers exceeding the speed limit and losing control is astromonical. Please don’t apply Fox news mentality to the processes designed to protect the public. Look up facts before making uninformed statements… Posted speed limits are not 60 miles in hour across all roads. FMSA and DOT laws protect the public from those who break laws… So if your’re an angry Trumper flying and upside down flag, please find other ways to relieve your anger