Virginia bill pursues expansion of left lane truck restriction

A bill introduced at the Virginia statehouse would expand the state’s left lane restriction for large trucks.

State law already prohibits trucks from traveling in the left lane of any interstate highway with more than two lanes where the posted speed limit is at least 65 mph.

The restriction also applies to travel in the left-most lane on any interstate highway with more than two lanes within the Eighth Planning District and along Interstate 81 regardless of the speed limit.

Additionally, commercial vehicles are required to travel in the right-most lane when operating at a speed at least 15 mph below the posted speed limit on any interstate highway with no more than two lanes in one direction.

Certain exceptions apply.

Sponsored by Delegate Clinton Jenkins, D-Suffolk, the bill would expand the restriction to include interstate highways where the posted speed limit is at least 55 mph.

The bill, HB1535, awaits assignment to a House committee.

OOIDA opposition

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association says that truck drivers are first-hand observers of the negative consequences of misguided traffic laws, and, while perhaps not intended, restricting trucks from certain lanes poses serious challenges for truckers and jeopardizes the safety of the traveling public.

Related provision pursued a year ago

During the 2022 regular session, state lawmakers sent to Gov. Glenn Youngkin a bill to place limitations on truck travel during winter storms. The governor vetoed the bill.

The bill, SB706, was introduced following a January 2022 winter storm that resulted in jammed traffic that left some travelers on Interstate 95 in Virginia stranded for more than 24 hours.

Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Dave Marsden, D-Fairfax, said a crash involving multiple large trucks played a role in the backup along a 50-mile stretch of I-95 outside Washington, D.C. As a result, Marsden pursued a plan to keep trucks to the right when the weather turns bad.

As introduced, the bill called for truck drivers traveling “in certain weather conditions” to stay to the right on any highway with two or more lanes in each direction. The rule would apply to trucks with a gross weight rating in excess of 26,000 pounds.

The lane restriction language was later removed from the bill. All that remained in the bill sent to the governor were provisions to forbid truckers from using cruise control or compression engine brakes when driving in snow, sleet, or freezing rain, or other inclement cold precipitation.

Burdens for trucking industry

Explaining his veto, Youngkin wrote at the time that the bill “is intended to prevent a traffic crisis such as the one that occurred on Interstate 95 on Jan. 3, 2022, where semitrailer trucks were immobilized by icy conditions, which prevented first responders from rescuing stranded motorists.”

The governor added that the provisions in the bill would not prevent a similar incident from occurring. He said neither cruise control nor compression release brakes were found to have contributed to the traffic crisis.

Additionally, Youngkin said the bill would impose burdens on Virginia’s trucking industry, as well as interstate transportation, “without any demonstrable public safety or transportation benefit.” LL

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