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Comments now open on FMCSA’s speed limiter proposal

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Comments now open on FMCSA’s speed limiter proposal
The Wyoming Department of Transportation has announced a pilot program to semi-automate variable speed limit (VSL) signs this winter to increase safety and respond to Wyoming’s quickly-changing weather conditions.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA) is now accepting formal comments for its proposal to install speed limiters on commercial vehicles (CMVs) operating across the country.

Click here to participate.

The notice does not give a specific speed limit to be set; however, it does state that “the agency is considering making the rule only applicable to CMVs manufactured after a certain date, such as 2003, because this is the population of vehicles for which ECUs (electronic engine control units) were routinely installed and may potentially be used to govern the speed of the vehicles.”

Additionally, the rule, if adopted, would affect CMVs “in interstate commerce with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) or gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more), whichever is greater, that are equipped with ECUs capable of governing the maximum speed be required to limit the CMV to a speed to be determined by the rulemaking and to maintain that ECU setting for the service life of the vehicle.”

The move is a follow-up to a 2016 joint proposal between the FMCSA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for CMV speed limiters.

The comment period ends June 3.

The Trucker News Staff

The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.

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The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
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27 Comments

The big dog truck companies are pushing this crap!!! They already have their trucks cut back to 65 mph or less. They are upset because their own drivers complain or quit because other trucks pass them…This will ultimately run more drivers away from trucking, no doubt!!! New regs always do, every time!!! HOW DARE ANY TRUCK MANAGER TRY TO GIVE ME A FAST SCHEDULE AND A SLOW TRUCK!!! IT AIN’T GONNA HAPPEN!!!

I don’t think is fair that I need to have a speed limiter on my truck because some truck drivers don’t know how and when to slow down

Limiting trucks at the same speed is only going to cause more trucks be stuck alongside each other, or trucks that run at a slower speed are a problem causing more of everyone to be closer together, bad idea, I am okay with them being limited to 75 mph that’s what tires are rated at. States with higher speeds when we can go the speed limit we are now causing a hazard for others. It’s safer to be at the same speed as everyone else.

All there doing is trying everything in there power to make truckers look bad they been this for years nothing more than bullshit like always .your speed limit crap not going to it only make it worse .everything the I’m working class touch turns to crap

Is there not enough regulations on CMV operators???
The insurance companies have already strapped the truck companies with threats of higher rates if they trucks are not regulated to a certain speed.
The American Truckdriver has more regulations on them than any other industry.
Before they go trying to restrict us more maybe they should get out here and see what we go through

We are dam regulated out u can’t even drive more rules more rules and bull shit laws is only going make worse

“Comment period ends….” It ended right before it started. SWIFTly ordered by the PRIME companies of America. Don’t believe me? Take a look at Canada. At least here in the great white north they had the guts to tell us the truth, and I quote: we have to level the playing field! We can’t compete with companies that can go 10-15mph faster than us. I won’t name the outfit, but… I would like to level the playing field with them when it comes to fuel, tires not to mention truck prices. Lets face it: they want us driving company trucks. They want our years of experience without spending time and money training people. And they are going to succeed. For almost 30 years I was thinking: how they’ll achieve it? Well… chip away at liberties (mandatory eld, speed limiter and so on) in the name of safety (masks anyone?)
And when everything fails double the price of a new truck. “Comment period!!!” The hypocrisy of our masters is laughable. We keep getting the best government money can buy , so…keep on voting/trucking

The only safe speed, is the same speed for all vehicles. Every intervehicular interaction is an opportunity for disaster.
Slow traffic in higher speed zones will increase dangerous maneuvers and will result in more road rage incidents as well as a rise in driver frustration… for all drivers.
To limit trucks to less than the posted limit will negatively impact all drivers.

Limiting the speed of a truck does not work for the whole trucking community . It would work for the mega carriers who have training programs because by limiting the speed of the truck for those mega carriers who have training programs it helps teach the new driver without experience how to navigate and control that truck properly. But doing it across the board is unfair to the smaller truck companies that only hire experience drivers because you are handicapping them and it also handicap’s the owner operator that only has one truck and is providing for his or her family. And it’s another way to force truckers off the road and make way for autonomous trucks and make it easier for the bigger carriers to push the little guy out of business. So by passing this bill it’s only helping the mega carriers with more than 200 trucks to monopolize and force all the other little companies out and owner operator. So if you guys are going to pass a bill like this make it only applies to the mega carriers and let the owner operators run there trucks accordingly the posted speed limit and without forcing them to put limiters on their trucks because that is not fair the way. Because the way you guys have this bill set it’s a way to push the little guy out of business. So you guys need to go back and work on this bill and take into consideration how it affects the whole entire trucking community and not just those that you guys are paid by lobbyist and special interest. So let’s be fair and do it the right way

Got out of driving. Too many regulations on drivers which kills income

Shipper and receiver companies waste to much of allowed drive time daily. Severe limit on income for a thankless job. Risk not equal to risk anymore.

These drivers are all correct when it comes to safety issues when we run slower speeds than the rest of the traffic. Now the mega carriers that self control their own speeds should continue to do so because they train their own drivers and their drivers are some of the worst ones out there. Training is not up to par. Then these new drivers go out and have accidents and you want to punish the rest of us. These truck accidents happening are not because of high speeds that has nothing to do with it , those trucks are alreadygoverned.. It’s inexperience. There are to many so called safety regulations that have had the opposite reaction such as ELD constraints. Us owner operators always take the hit with these regs instead of the ones it is intended to affect. Soon you will have mostly mega companies inexperienced drivers all out there and no real drivers left because they were pushed out and then you will have a real mess on your hands. Leave us alone and let us get our jobs done and the country moving again. Stop the eld mandate and driver frustration and truck accidents will lessen

Theory of being a truck driver what a waste of man hours throwing them out because they can identify parts of a truck that does not make a safe driver. drivers needs to be able to master what they do. so any experience or lack there of is a reason you have trucks colliding in the ditches and running over cars no practical experience because a teacher Don’t F ing know how to drive themselves.
The best driving instructor is an ex owner operator.

Seriously thinking of getting out of trucking if this goes through. This is bullshit!! If our trucks need limiters then we need to demand limiters on personal cars. For those who speed in and out of traffic cutting us off everyday. If this is about safety then make this rule for every vehicle on the road today. I’ve been driving almost 8 years, and I’m even getting tired of these stupid government agencies . Always trying to control anything they can get there hands on. I think we should all shut down for 2 days bring the government to its knees, protest that they are way over there heads and have no business having power.

Seriously thinking of getting out of trucking if this goes through. This is bullshit!! If our trucks need limiters then we need to demand limiters on personal cars. For those who speed in and out of traffic cutting us off everyday. If this is about safety then make this rule for every vehicle on the road today. I’ve been driving almost 8 years, and I’m even getting tired of these stupid government agencies . Always trying to control anything they can get there hands on. I think we should all shut down for 2 days bring the government to its knees, protest that they are way over there heads and have no business having power. Also the public needs to remember who brings everything. I understand some drivers are assholes, but the majority of us are just trying to make a living and doing our part in keeping America running .

I stopped doing otr and regional because of trucks that won’t do the posted speed limit:: the trucks need to run at least 5 miles per hour over the posted so drivers can pass a slower truck; I now drive dump trucks and they will run 75 miles per hour, if you need to;;; all trucks should be able to do the posted speed limit in every state!!!

That includes the state’s that has 80 mile per hour speed limits:: doing 63 or 65 in those states is dangerous for everyone on the road. If a person has not ever driven a truck, they should not be allowed to make laws about trucks,, until they have done at least 5 years in the driver’s seat::::

John, Hello, I Really hope this gets to the Right Ears in Congress?? I Have Been Trucking for Now going on 45 Years!! I have been a full owner operator for over Thirty Years!! Call it Lucky, or Call it Experience!! I have had Only Two Accidents in my entire History, and they were both Caused by 4 wheelers,!! What these drivers are trying to tell you guys!! Is this is a Very Bad Idea!! The Rookies Now there Place ?? And it’s in the Right Lane!! The Real Experienced Drivers Know to Pass, then get out of the Way!! You think there’s Problems Now!! Just Govern All trucks to these Ridiculous Low Speeds, And Really Watch the Accident Rates go up!!! For An Example!! Unfortunately and I’m Ashamed to Say it, I live here in CA, the Posted Speed for trucks is 55 MPH, the Cars are Traveling Well Over 100 MPH!!! On I-15, or I-40,, the Cars are Weaving in and out, and this is the same all over the Country!! Here’s another Problem!! I have a Brand New Cascada,and it goes into Automatic Regen, at 1250 RPMS, which is about 65mph, Another one of your Wonderful Ideas,!! If it Fails to Regen, All the Warning lights come on, and I’m on the Shoulder, My Point is!! Leave the More Experienced Drivers Alone!! We Know what we’re Doing, Concentrate More on the Inexperienced Drivers and the Schools!! And Start Enforcing these Speed Limits already in Place for the Cars!! Or Else Put Speed Limiters On All Vehicles that Use the Highway System Cars Included!!!!! Here’s My Problem with This!! I’ve Spent Well over 100,000 dollars on Buying This New Car Compliant Truck!! With No Help from the Government!! Now Your throwing Me into the Same Category as a 6 week Cadet just out of trucking School!! With No Recourse!!! I’m almost about to Retire, and this New Law is Pushing Me there that Much Faster!!! I’m Not Driving Another 55 MPH Truck!!! Especially When It’s My Own!!! Fuel is Already at 7.50 Per Gallon Here, and it’s only Going Higher!! Be thankful For the Drivers You have Left, to Haul the Freight, And Don’t Force the Rest of us Out Because of these Stupid Laws!!! I Know this letter is Long!! And I Really Hope You Consider this before Passing this New Law!! We Have Already Had 50 Years of Split Speed limits for Trucks, California being the Worst!! 55MPH, Cars 70Mph, And Just Look At Our Rear-end Collision Rates!! There Needs to Be Something Done!! But it’s Not All the Trucks Fault!! Remember!!! This Industry Was Built on Experience!! Not Wheel Holders!! So Please Listen to those of us that are Still Left out Here, Just trying to Make a living, if Doing this Makes You Feel Better!!! Then Pretty Soon I Really Hope You Enjoy Walking to California For Your Groceries!!! Because I Won’t Be Hauling Them!! Thank You For Reading this, Just Another Old Tired Truck Driver Ready to Call It Quits!!! John.

I own a motor carrier. For starters my insurance company hasn’t ever asked how fast my tractors go. They tell me I can’t hire anyone under 25 years old. With speed limits going 75 , 80 mph on certain corridors. No split limit anymore. Several years ago Swift got banned from I-80 in NE and adjacent states for going to slow . They were told tractors must do minimum 70 mph. My thing it’s up to whom owns tractors to determine max speed. Experience falls under that too.
There’s 295,000 carriers in USA. Only 5% have slow tractors and well over 1,000 tractors.

Regulations, you know at one time i could call this country America. Now, i don’t know what we are becoming. Theirs so many regulations on the book that the regulations over lap the other ones. An over regulated country is doomed to fail. Enough is enough. Us truckers can’t even make any money now with the way the market is, and over regulation. Now we have to pay more money to lower the speed of our trucks, being picked on every chance we get, our time is regulated, our pay is becoming less attractive daily, frieghts already having trouble being delivered because of logistic failures in the warehouses. (Not a trucker shortage.) And the idea is to place more laws on the books? Psh.

The problem is not speed it is following distance and road rage I cannot tell you how many times I have been cut off by cars and other trucks I am limited to 65 currently and honestly I had less problems when I wasn’t it was easier to flow with traffic and still keep a safe following distance yall need to be cracking down on people not allowing for proper following distance especially in cars that causes more accidents than speed does and I’m willing to bet money that you idiots passing thease laws have never set foot in a semi you have no clue the stress of our every day life on the road for most of us it is literally our goal every day not to kill anyone but yall limit our hours and speeds and travel lanes more and more eventually you will get what you want mark my words you don’t want to poke a sleeping bear without us this nation will fall to anarchy just remember that

This is just going to cause more problems than there already are. They just don’t realize it yet. This is the dumbest thing they could do.

Slowing all the trucks down to one speed, can you imagine all the 4 wheelers weaving in and out of traffic then? It’s bad enough as it is. The accident rates are going to ski rocket. And who gets the blame? The truckers still get the blame. This us the dumbest idea.

Don’t blame us for your company driver. That can’t drive over 55 to 65 mph. They drive slow and still have accidents and try blame driver O/O that go over 65 mph. This is the big truck company problem it’s alway them that have accidents. We have speed limits post at 70 let me go 70 to 75 O/O take care of our truck so we try watch out for asshole everywhere. Reckless driver like swift, prime, fedex, ups, etc is that one you needed to worry about. There truck go 62 to 65 always doing so of the dumb shit. Stop punishing O/O for big companies problems we stay far away from there truck as possible. And try put speed limits restrictions
on us to make them feel better about nothing.
What they needed to talk about is money for loads and not O/O speed

Pass the law! Truckers need to learn how to respect other traffic! Some truckers do, but a lot of them are disrespectful to 4 wheelers!

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