Plans by federal regulators to issue a proposed rule requiring speed limiters on truck engines is getting pushback by a significant portion of the trucking sector.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s April notice seeking comment on the plan, which the agency aims to issue as a proposed rule for public comment in 2023, generated more than 15,000 responses. Most came from independent owner-operators and small trucking companies, which account for the majority of FMCSA’s regulated carriers. And most were adamantly against it.
“I lease my trucks to a company that requires us to limit our speed to 65 mph,” wrote the owner of IAB Trucking. “I feel it has made my drivers more unsafe, as they get caught up in packs of drivers now. They are unable to maneuver when necessary. And I think automobile drivers are even angrier around trucks that have their speed limited. Please, do not require this.”
IAB Trucking’s sentiment was typical and was echoed among a large sampling of responses: Roads are less safe when trucks are unable to adjust their speed to surrounding traffic.
Benefits underscored
FMCSA’s planned petition will be in the form of a supplement to a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that was issued jointly in 2016 with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It will propose that trucks weighing over 26,000 pounds that are equipped with an electronic engine speed governor be required to limit the truck’s speed to a rate to be determined by the rulemaking and maintain the speed setting for the life of the vehicle.
The American Trucking Associations, which developed a speed governing policy for commercial trucks in 2007, initially supported a fixed maximum speed of 65 mph for all Class 7 and 8 trucks with electronic speed governors manufactured after 1992.
ATA has since revised its policy to take into account the development of safety technology aimed at allowing trucks to travel faster and safer. For Class 7 and 8 trucks manufactured after 1992 equipped with automatic emergency braking (AEB) and adaptive cruise control, ATA supports setting speed governors to a maximum speed of 70 mph, according to comments filed at FMCSA.
The Truckload Carriers Association and Road Safe America, a nonprofit “with a mission to reduce the number of crashes between trucks and passenger cars,” both support ATA’s stance. Providing the option of a maximum speed of 70 mph for trucks using AEB and adaptive cruise control “would give existing fleets an incentive to purchase and use these amazing safety technologies,” wrote Road Safe America’s Steve Owings.
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety also supports speed limiters — but it wants the maximum speed set to 60 mph.
The safety group cited “incontrovertible” safety benefits highlighted in the FMCSA’s 2016 NPRM, where the agency noted that crashes involving heavy vehicles traveling faster are more deadly than those involving trucks traveling at lower speeds.
“The 2016 NPRM estimates that setting the device at 60 mph has the potential to save almost 500 lives and prevent nearly 11,000 injuries annually,” commented Advocates President Catherine Chase. “By comparison, the NPRM clearly states that setting the speed at 65 or 68 mph will result in far less lives saved and injuries prevented.”
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) also considers speed limiters a needed safety requirement, although it did not advocate for a particular speed setting for the devices.
“Although the use of speed limiters on large trucks has raised concerns about creating speed differentials between trucks and other vehicles, research has documented that trucks already travel significantly slower than passenger vehicles, including on roads with speed limits raised to among the highest in the nation,” IIHS stated.
Less safe, more delays?
The thousands of individual owner-operators commenting on the proposal who opposed requiring speed limiters on their trucks were backed by associations representing small businesses, in particular the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.
| Speed limit | Number | Percent |
| 25 mph or less | 123 | 2.7% |
| 30-35 mph | 316 | 7.1% |
| 40-45 mph | 635 | 14.2% |
| 50-55 mph | 1,491 | 33.3% |
| 60-65 mph | 897 | 20% |
| 70-75 mph | 860 | 19.2% |
| 80-85 mph | 24 | 0.5% |
| No statutory limit | 45 | 1.0% |
| Unknown | 88 | 2.0% |
| Total | 4,479 | 100% |
(Updated Oct. 2021). Source: FMCSA
In addition to unsafe speed differentials resulting if speed limits on certain roads have higher speed limits than those governed by the engine’s control unit, speed limiters take away a driver’s ability to avoid accidents and unsafe road conditions, according to OOIDA President and CEO Todd Spencer.
In addition, “speed limiters increase driver stress and make drivers more fatigued because they must operate longer hours in order to complete the work expected of them, and they must also operate at the maximum allowed speed for more of those hours,” Spencer said. “In a survey of our members, drivers that are required by their carriers to use speed limiters also report feeling pressure to ‘make up’ time on local roads when the posted speed limit is lower than the speed set on the truck.”
The Livestock Marketing Association, which represents more than 80% of local livestock auction markets, agreed that the use of speed limiters “ignores the very real safety hazard of speed differentials and fails to account for the safety impacts when a 60, 65 or 68 mph limit is applied to a [truck] while surrounding traffic are traveling speeds 10, 15 or even 20 mph faster. This difference in speeds will cause more dangerous conditions for the motoring public.”
Mandating slower truck speeds, he said, “will literally slow the movement of freight through the supply chain. At a time when businesses and families are having difficulties securing the supplies they need, this proposal would create additional challenges and delays.”
One commenter used FMCSA’s own data to counter research from safety and insurance groups used to support speed limiters (see table, above).
The commenter noted that according to FMCSA, highways with posted speed limits of 50-55 mph account for 33.3% of all fatal crashes and that highways with speed limits of 60-65 mph and 70-75 mph account for significantly fewer fatalities.
“What is more, this data shows that out of 4,479 fatal crashes only 1.0% (45 fatal crashes) occurred in areas with no statutory speed limit” and 97% occurred in areas with speed limits. “This evidence suggests on its face that fatal crashes are less likely, not more, as posted speed limits are increased or removed altogether.”
Related articles:
- Speed limiters, automatic braking on NTSB Most Wanted List
- Safety ratings at risk for violators of proposed speed limiter law
- US senators propose 65-mph truck speed limiters
Click for more FreightWaves articles by John Gallagher.
Jim
You have obviously never driven a truck up a hill before. A heavy truck climbs much slower than a light truck. Light truck must pass the heavy truck. Light truck is forced to slow down by another heavy truck. Light truck jumps into #3 lane to pass. Car going 80 mph must hit brakes. Car behind that one is texting and CRASH.
It’s the trucker’s fault.
Scott Weathersby
The problems I see with this is how many if these experts hv even been in a truck. When going slower trucks can not match the speed of automobiles how do they merge. What happens when an automobile is going slower in the fast lane. Where had common sense been. Build a semi simulator like airplanes hv. Then these experts can simulate the real driving of what s trucker goes through. Let’s set all speeds the same slow pace then we are all equal.
Get out of the office and get in trucks in all conditions. In every climate and condition. Then u will see u are not the expert.
David Powell
I am a driver with 11 years experience in Class 8 trucks. The piece of the puzzle that is missing in all speed limiter debate is that in addition to mandated speed limiters, trucks should be restricted to right lane only. That will eliminate 90 percent of all lane change accidents, and keep cars out of our blind spots. The lane restriction combined with the speed limiters would dramatically reduce accidents. The argument that more speed enables drivers to maneuver out of trouble is a myth. Eighty thousand pound trucks are pigs that barely maneuver at all. By restricting us to the right lane and giving us all safe governed speeds and enforcing proper following distance everyone will be safer and the freight will get to its destination on time and intact.
John
Are you kidding me, your not the brightest and saying you have 11 years experience shows your in one of the slowest trucks on the road. Limiting trucks strictly to just the right lane would be like going through a construction zone where its a Accordion affect. We’re not all the same weight with the same hp rated engines. Your cr england truck will lose momentum alot faster than my truck then ill have to hit the brakes thus the truck behind me will have to hit his brakes etc… and God forbid one of you is not paying attention to the road and runs into the truck infront of him. Also your comment about not being able to accelerate out of trouble is wrong as well. There have been plenty of times accelerating has gotten me out of a potensionally bad spot. Blow a steer time, hitting that accelerator kept the truck straight
Mark Andresen
Do you live in a vacume? The speed limiters should be applied to cars and not more useless truck regulations. How about speed limiters for phones. Look out your side window and you will see the major problem with hand held devices beign used by irresponsible 4 wheelers. Single lane for trucks is down right insane. Ever heard the saying time is money?
Ed
I doubt very seriously you have 11 years behind the wheel of a class 8 truck. This sounds like a comment from a 4 wheeler who just hates trucks, period. Either that, or doesn’t drive at all and spends all their time sitting in front of a computer screen. If for no other reason, a right lane only law will make it nearly impossible to get on a limited access highway due to the impenetrable wall of trucks you’d encounter at the end of the on ramp. Think about it.
Michael Page
Why do construction areas (South Carolina, Kentucky) designate left lanes trucks only? Because of physics…no room for ramp traffic. Trucks should be in left lanes & HOV lanes should allow trucks. No one ever uses them. If limiters are mandated I’m done after 30 years.
David Bowers
With a whopping ONE YEAR of OTR experience touting lane restriction as well as speed limiter restriction are part of the problem. You have ZERO experience in the grand scheme here youngster.
As an OTR driver who began his CAREER in 1985, ( and judging by your own lack of knowledge and skill set, probably longer than you’ve even been outside of the uterus)…. your judgment and suggestion is seriously flawed.
I have 37 yrs as a professional OTR driver, never been in A SINGLE AT FAULT ACCIDENT… EVER.
The only accident I was involved in, was in 1992 in Ohio, in the far right lane, back when Ohio mandated a
split speed limit, (55 mph for trucks), and was rear ended by an inattentive driver of a 4 wheeler. (CASE IN POINT)…. Later, Ohio rescinded the split speed mandate because they realized that it actually raised the accident rate between 4wheelers and 18 wheelers.
Get some more miles under your belt there young pup, then come talk too us who’ve been at this for a minute or ten longer than you.
David Bowers
EDIT TO MY PREVIOUS REPLY:
I correct myself.. 11 ELEVEN YEARS… you sir are STILL the problem regardless.
Robert Thomas Cooper
In the 23 years of my involvement in this industry, we saw the decline and eventual elimination of most split speed limits. During that time, accident rates actual dropped. Also during that time, 4 different studies were done showing that, on average, 75% of the time, accidents involving large vehicles were caused by SMALLER VEHICLES. These points are ignored time and time again when the subject of HOS and speed limiters come up. Requiring speed limiters effectively reinstitutes the split speed limits which were shown to be more dangerous than a uniform limit.
Furthermore, a recent Freightwaves article on this topic pointed out that the vast majority of the accidents that were the focus of this idea happened not on the interstates and high speed roads but on lower speed roads. Looking at the chart from the FMCSA cited in this article shows this to be more true. The devil is in the details and this issue is being painted with a broad brush with regards as to who is to blame. It doesn’t look into things like governing cars and SUVs or distracted driving (Lord knows we all see a ton of that every day!). It doesn’t take into consideration, as another driver pointed out, the impact on the supply chain. Scheduled runs for LTL companies or delivery services would have to be completely redone to account for longer drive times increasing the costs with regard to labor and time management.
This is an idea that needs to be dropped. You can’t cite that Europeans have this in place when you can fit a trip from London to Berlin inside of Texas with room to spare. Apples and oranges.
MichaelvHorn
Well said…
Bug
I go 60 mph and get anywhere from 9.5 to 12.6 mpg. Also everyone leaves me behind and they can all drive in a pack and fight to be in front I don’t have to deal with it anymore. I’m fortunate as I drive team so I have 140 hours. Can’t outrun the fuel prices so I slow it down and luckily get a decent fuel surcharge.
Les
Well the data that I would like to see are the fatal high speed single vehicle accidents involving vehicles under 26000 pounds compared to single vehicle accidents involving vehicles over 26000 pounds and then let’s talk about speed limiters on everyone’s BMW Lexus Mercedes Toyota Honda Nissan Chevrolet Ford and Chrysler and see how that works out. I’m also curious about how many of those fatal accidents involving heavy vehicles were caused by the primarily by the heavy vehicle speeding also wondering how many involved a heavy vehicle being rear ended by a smaller vehicle seems they are pushing hard for run under protection so if the slower moving trucks don’t present a hazard why are they so worried about the rear bumper
James Spangler
Why not make it 45 mph and pay drivers by the hour? Hit the time clock at the beginning of the week and again at the end of the week when they leave work. That removes the incentive to speed and keeps trucks from running in packs at the same speed cars are AND it would employee another 3-4 million people in the driving industry alone…
What could POSSIBLY go wrong??
☝️ Is sarcasm.
Stephen Webster
We need a 5 % exempt and hourly pay. When speed limiter came into ont hourly pay and overtime pay was strongly recommended for safety reasons instead of elogs and spead limits