OOIDA rallies members to oppose speed limiters

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association called FMCSA’s latest actions regarding its speed limiter rulemaking “confusing” and is rallying truck drivers to oppose a mandate.

OOIDA, which represents small-business truckers, sent an email to its more than 150,000 members on Tuesday, Sept. 26 updating them with the latest information and encouraging them to speak out against efforts to require speed-limiting devices on most commercial motor vehicles.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s significant rulemakings report released on Monday indicated that it intended to propose 68 mph as the top speed in its forthcoming supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking. Hours later, however, the agency removed the language regarding 68 mph as the proposed top speed. FMCSA then told Land Line that no final decision had been made on a maximum speed and that the information must first be approved by the White House Office of Management and Budget.

OOIDA opposes mandating speed limiters on commercial motor vehicles at any speed, citing the dangers of speed differentials as well as the need for states to set their own speed limits.

“These confusing actions highlight exactly why FMCSA cannot move forward with such a dangerous and misguided mandate,” OOIDA wrote to its members. “FMCSA hasn’t released the full proposal yet, but you can contact your lawmakers now to prevent FMCSA from advancing any speed limiter rule.”

Background

Last year, FMCSA issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking that considered requiring most commercial motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 26,001 pounds or more to be equipped with speed limiters. The maximum speed was not included in the initial notice.

More than 15,000 comments were filed, with the majority coming from truck drivers opposed to a mandate.

Still, FMCSA plans to move forward with the rulemaking and is targeting Dec. 29 as the release of it supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking, which is expected to include a top speed.

DRIVE Act

A bill in the House and the Senate aims to make FMCSA’s work on speed limiters moot. The DRIVE Act, introduced by Rep. Josh Brecheen, R-Okla., and Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., would stop FMCSA from moving forward with a rulemaking on speed limiters.

The lawmakers cite states’ rights and safety as some of the reasons a national speed limiter mandate should be stopped.

The DRIVE Act currently has 27 co-sponsors in the House and eight in the Senate.

OOIDA is asking its members to reach out to their lawmakers and encourage them to support the DRIVE Act. OOIDA’s Fighting for Truckers website has made it easy for truck drivers to reach their representatives and provide feedback on FMCSA’s speed limiter rulemaking. LL