No matter how much of a leadfoot truck drivers have, their big rigs would never be able to go faster than 70 mph, according to a proposal unveiled recently by two federal agencies.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have teamed up to support limiting the ability of all trucks, buses, and other multi-passenger vehicles weighing more than 26,000 to go faster than 60, 65, of 68 mph. And the plan already has the backing of US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
“There are significant safety benefits to this proposed rulemaking,” Foxx said in an NHTSA news release. “In addition to saving lives, the projected fuel and emissions savings make this proposal a win for safety, energy consumption, and our environment.”
Truckers Oppose Proposal
Not surprisingly, many truck drivers oppose the proposal, citing the need for speed while passing slower vehicles and escaping dangerous situations.
Todd Spencer, executive vice president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, said putting some sort of mechanical or computerized device on trucks to cap their maximum speeds will only put truck drivers at risk.
“Highways are safest when all vehicles travel at the same relative speed,” Spencer said in an OOIDA news release. “This wisdom has always been true and has not ever changed.”
The group, which represents more than 157,000 truck drivers nationwide, wants the federal government to keep out of their truck cabs.
“No technology can replace the safest thing to put in a truck, which is a well-trained driver,” Spencer said.
Saving Lives
Yet supporters of the measure disagree. Mark Rosekind, the administrator for the NHTSA, said science supports theory that slower trucks will result in fewer accidents and, consequently, fewer highway injuries and deaths.
“This is basic physics,” Rosekind said. “Even small increases in speed have large effects on the force of impact. Setting the speed limit on heavy vehicles makes sense for safety and the environment.”
FMCSA administrator T.F. Scott Darling III added that the proposal has economic benefits as well, saving an estimated $1.1 billion in fuel costs and millions of gallons of gas per year.
“Safe trucking moves our economy and safe bus operators transport our loved ones,” Darling said. “This proposal will save lives while ensuring that our nation’s fleet of large commercial vehicles operates efficiently.”
Trucking industry executives also supported the measure. The American Trucking Association, a lobbyist organization that represents the interests of trucking companies in Washington, D.C., issued a news release hailing the proposal.