WASHINGTON — An owner-operator-backed bill aimed at preventing a speed mandate for trucks is getting heavy pushback from safety groups aligning with small-business trucking’s big-business competition.
A coalition that includes Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, the Truck Safety Coalition, the National Safety Council (NSC) and Road Safe America are lobbying lawmakers to oppose the Deregulating Restrictions on Interstate Vehicles and Eighteen Wheelers Act, known as the DRIVE Act, which was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this month.
The proposal, which would prohibit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration from issuing a planned rulemaking requiring trucks to be outfitted with speed governor devices, was immediately opposed by the American Trucking Associations, whose members — many of them — have already invested in such devices for their fleets.
Safety groups are aligning with major trucking companies, warning that the bill would be a major setback at a time when fatalities from truck crashes are on the rise.
“Since 2009, truck crash deaths have increased by 71% with over 5,700 lives lost and nearly 155,000 injured in 2021 (the most recent year for which data is available),” the groups state in a letter to the leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “Fatalities to large truck occupants (largely truck drivers) surged past 1,000 for the first time in nearly 40 years.”
The coalition, which also includes The Trucking Alliance, a group backed by major truckload carriers, and The Road to Zero Coalition, an NSC-managed coalition of cities, counties and state governmental agencies, points out that “arbitrarily stopping FMCSA from this rulemaking process would compromise the agency from pursuing its stated mission — to reduce large truck crash injuries and fatalities.”
According to a recent Trucking Alliance survey, 98% of the 62,000 trucks operated by the group’s member carriers use speed limiter technology, they told lawmakers, with maximum speed settings ranging from 61 mph to 70 mph.
In addition to safety benefits, members of the coalition point to economic advantages of installing speed limiters on fleets.
“Aside from the research that shows speed limiters to be highly effective at reducing high-speed collisions, there is ample real-world use by leading trucking companies that show speed limiters diminish a company’s crashes and improve their profits,” said Road Safe America Co-Founder Steve Owings in a separate statement, referring presumably to money saved by reduced fuel use and other cost savings.
Speed limiters were a topic of debate at a Capitol Hill hearing this week. Lewie Pugh, executive vice president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, which backs the legislation, argued that studies find having different speed requirements for cars and trucks make the roads less safe. In addition, slowing down goods movement will require more trucks to move the same amount of freight, adding to congestion, Pugh said.
Asked to comment on the coalition forming against the bill, OOIDA underscored the potential for more accidents resulting from speed differentials.
“Nobody cares about road safety more than truck drivers,” said OOIDA President and CEO Todd Spencer in a statement.
“Truckers know this mandate will take safety in the wrong direction. The most significant step the trucking industry could take to improve road safety is to keep experienced, safe drivers in the workforce, so we challenge those who signed this letter to work with us on increasing driver compensation, ensuring restroom access, and expanding truck parking.”
K.Bianga
18 year old drivers now. Foreign drivers that don’t speak English Or read English signs. E logs telling drivers when they can drive. Government needs to let the trucking industry take care of truckers.
Kenny
I guess the ones in charge dont remember when Ohio and Illinois as well as California had the big split speed limits. Drivers was driving off in the medians from getting sleepy. And 4 wheelers was being pulled out from under trailers m. From running up on the slower truck. Speed limiters arent the answer. Bet if you subtracted the accidents from rental trucks (Uhaul) anything over 26,001 lbs. I bet the rate for big trucks would drop a lot. Yes, thise truck accidents gets counted towards the count. Look it up!
Joel
I’m a truck driver and I think a lot of the safety issues are the car traffic is always cutting off trucks not giving trucks enough stoping distance. Some Evan deliberately screw with trucks to make them mad. And some of it is because of trucker’s that tailgate. And car’s shouldn’t tailgate trucks either. Especially outside of city’s where it can be prevented. As well as the auto distance features on new cars that don’t allow for trucks needing more distance allowance. I believe that every time they make features to prevent stuff like auto braking it just enables people to pay less attention. That’s why I think every vehicle should be a manual transmission. So you can’t keep phone in your hand for one. People would have to know something to be able to drive other than push a button and go. And they get much better fuel economy than automatics. Regardless I haven’t seen speed limit for road work zones even be enforced I’m about the only one that slows down to it. From what I have seen.
RICHARD BROWN
Either you are a safe driver or your not, simple as that. Speed that slow, slow the economy and other traffic zooms bye, causing even more drousieness and mayhem. It’s all vehicles or nothing. Cars included.
Neil Griffin
If truck drivers should have limitations so should everyone who drive a vehicle of any kind. More of the headaches of driving a truck is the general public doesn’t care and cuts us off or moves in front of us with feet to spare. If you get truck drivers to record watch what happens in front of them daily and most can react, its crazy. Those who drive trucks are on a mission. To deliver the goods they carry and get a pay check. A truck driver and public lives are way more at risk dealing with they public not how fast the truck can go. Slower can mean more problems. General public will just blame the truck drivers more for impending their time. The general public just doesn’t comprehend that they truck they cut in front of from a lane or 2 away last second and then exit could of carried something they bought before. Truck drivers touch everyone in a way noone will ever understand.
Mark kanekoa
I believe if one was to investigate these major crashes they would find that many of them involve those big box companies with trucks that are on speed limiters. Even with limiters accidents will continue. New drivers, drivers with questionable driving records, should be closely monitored until they can prove they are safe.
Anthony R
You will notice the increase in crashes involving trucks has nothing to with speed, rather the increase is directly correlated to the mandate of ELDs . Never have I seen or felt more pressure to get the job done since the mandate took effect. This is the real cause. Trucks need to be able to maneuver, in traffic. Limiting speed causes a dangerous difference between car traffic and truck traffic. Speed limiters have been in Ontario for a few years now. The truck congestion has doubled. Truck crashes have also increased. This is a dangerous proposition that must be avoided. I have been driving truck for 33 years, so I know what I’m. Talking about
Brian moorman
Speed limiter will cause more crashes.i see it everyday cars flying around trucks because they r going ten mph slower then they cutback in front of the truck to get to a exit ramp