Truckers mince no words on speed limiters
Last year, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration hinted that it was considering mandating speed limiters on most heavy-duty trucks.
The response from truck drivers was one of the loudest in recent years as more than 15,000 comments were filed at the Regulations.gov website.
To the surprise of no one, the majority of truck drivers were adamantly opposed to any mandate.
As FMCSA is expected to roll out a notice of proposed rulemaking for speed limiters later this year, here are a few of the thousands of comments from truck drivers.
Speed differentials
If you limit all trucks to one set speed, lower than the speed of cars, you are likely to create a situation of having two trucks side by side traveling at their limited speed. Neither one (will be) able to pass the other, creating a bottleneck of traffic. This bottleneck could cause an impatient driver of a car to take the shoulder to pass the trucks, which would be very unsafe. This will cause more safety concerns than it will fix.
– Michael Palmer
While I recognize speed kills, reality is increasing speed differential between commercial motor vehicles and general motoring public, upward of 30 mph in some states between CMV speeds and actual traffic speeds, is actually more dangerous. Several long-term studies have shown the less speed differential there is the less wrecks there are between CMVs and passenger vehicles. It’s a well-intended idea that has been proven to have deadly consequences.
– Adam Wildman
I oppose the speed limiter mandate. Speed differentials create unsafe conditions. Some states have already come to that conclusion and abolished their speed differentials. Limiting all trucks to the same speed will create more congestion as trucks pass each other and cars have to move around them. Congestion leads to more frustration and drivers making riskier decisions to get through traffic.
– Thad Thurlow
Rear-end crashes
I was in a truck 20 years ago that was able to go only 60 mph. I was just a hazard with people trying to get around me, and there was nothing I could do. I believe there will be more rear-end accidents because people in cars won’t know the trucks are that slow and try to get by them only to hit them. I’ve seen it a lot where cars rear-end each other because they are not paying attention to what is around them.
– Gerald Hunter
I have been a professional driver for over 30 years. The amount of aggressive driving I see today is astounding. My truck speed is limited by my company. We have the slowest trucks in our county. I am constantly stuck behind slower trucks and frequently caught beside trucks that can’t pull a hill as well as I can because of their weight, then they speed up after the top of the hill leaving me to block the passing lane … Limiting trucks to speeds below the flow of traffic increases interactions between vehicles and will lead to more crashes. Rear-end crashes are the most common nationwide.
– Misty Hagwood
Final straw
A speed reduction will cause a mass driver exodus. It will also (force) most small businesses and owner-operators out of business … There will be a huge increase in freight prices and in turn a huge increase in the price of the goods being shipped. I know of multiple drivers that would quit immediately if this passes. This is a terrible idea.
– Shaun Ursini
I’m an owner-operator. This is not about safety. It’s more dangerous to be below the speed limit than to go with the traffic. If this goes into effect, I will be retiring.
– Michael Perry LL