The truck speed cap is finally off as a federal notice puts an end to the rule. Although a source of debate for a long time, the speed limiter rule for heavy-duty trucks will not apply. A notice on July 24 from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) stated that proposals to mandate speed limiters on all commercial trucks over 26,000 pounds were officially withdrawn.
The escape from a rule long in the pipeline
There has been a constant push to acquire speed-limiting devices for the heavy trucking industry. The 2016 joint notice of proposed rulemaking from FMCSA, along with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), initiated limiters for all Class 7 and 8 trucks. According to proposals put forward, speed caps ranged from 60 to 68 mph. However, the debate on the set speed limit often got heated, and a final speed cap limit was never agreed upon.
Following the 2016 joint notice, an advanced notice of supplemental proposed rulemaking (ANSPRM) was issued in 2022. On July 24, both proposals had been withdrawn completely. The reason for the proposals being withdrawn was mainly inconclusive data. The data provided was very limited in terms of providing an overview of how speed limiters could reduce crash rates. Details about financial costs and operational efficiency were also not provided.
The debate about state control of speed limits
Much of the debate stemmed from the fact that the rule permitted federal intrusion, taking away the state’s authority on speed limits. Most U.S. states allow heavy trucks to drive faster than the proposed speeds. However, the implementation of the rule would ensure that a federal speed limit would be put in place to undermine those state-related decisions.
In the withdrawal notice, it was mentioned by FMCSA and NHTSA that such federal rulemaking would take away the state’s ability to set speed limits, even though the state may have decided that a particular speed limit was appropriate. Many critics also put forward the opinion that crash risks may result from imposing the rule that takes away operational flexibility from truck drivers. The idea of passenger vehicles getting stuck behind slower trucks did not sit well with many critics.
Giving technology some preference in light of mixed responses
The withdrawal was the direct result of data gaps; however, 2016 crash mitigation technologies have proven to be effective in terms of reducing crash rates for trucks. Most new trucks have emergency braking (AEB) and forward collision warning (FCW) systems to prevent accidents from occurring. The notice even made mention of the fact that many crashes have been avoided, all thanks to the AEB and FCW systems.
The technology that is clearly effective takes away the financial burdens of going ahead with speed limiters as well. The technological advancements prove that speed-limiting regulation for trucks is not needed.
The decision to withdraw was necessary since the proposals received mixed responses. While some citizens were in favor of some provisions outlined in the proposals, they were opposed to other proposals mentioned. Furthermore, backlash was faced by truck owner-operators who stated that the proposed law would reduce profits by curbing truck drivers’ ability to drive faster even in high-speed-limit states. Many states, however, have taken initiatives to change speed signs for trucks already.
The road ahead for truck drivers is unrestricted, for now
The withdrawal and the decision of the federal government to back away from taking control of truck speed limits means an unrestricted speed limit for now. The states now have full control over the speed limits set aside for trucks. Although safety remains a priority for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) as well as for NHTSA, new technology is seen as being effective in terms of curbing truck crash rates. Trucks are free to drive as they see fit while aligning to state speed limits, for now. This is great since some states have increased the speed limit for trucks to 65 MPH as of July 1.
