FMCSA invites truckers to complete survey on truck speed limits

A notice from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration of intent to proceed with truck speed ​​limiter bill was posted in the Federal Register, Wednesday, May 4.

The speed limit debate has been hold since the start of the Trump administration. A rule-making issued in 2016 by the FMCSA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration discussed limiting truck speeds to 60, 65, or 68 mph.

The new notice is published by the FMCSA and the requirements of the rule will apply to road carriers.

The FMCSA notice states that restrictions can only be applied to trucks manufactured after a certain year. For example, after 2003. Message does not indicate any speed that will be limited for trucks.

It is the FMCSA’s tool for collecting facts and data to determine how to best proceed with the regulation.

The FMCSA is asking for public opinion on 12 questions about speed limiting devices:

1. What percentage of the CMV fleet currently uses speed limiting devices?
2. If in use, at what maximum speed are the devices generally set?
3. What skill sets or training are needed for motor carriers’ maintenance personnel to adjust or program ECUs to set speed limits?
4. What tools or equipment are needed to adjust or program ECUs?
5. How long would adjustment or reprogramming of an ECU take?
6. Where can the adjustment or reprogramming of an ECU be completed?
   1. Can the adjustment or reprogramming of an ECU be made on-site where the vehicle is ordinarily housed or garaged, or would it have to be completed at a dealership?
7. Do responses to questions 3 through 6 change based on the model year of the power unit?
8. Since publication of the NPRM (in 2016), how has standard practice or technology changed as it relates to the ability to set speed limits using ECUs?
9. Are there any challenges or burdens associated with FMCSA publishing a rule without NHTSA updating the FMVSS?
10. Should FMCSA revisit using the 2003 model year as the baseline requirement for the rule?
11. Should FMCSA consider a retrofit requirement in the rule and, if so, should it be based on model year or other criteria, and what would the cost of such a requirement be?
12. Should FMCSA include truck Classes 3-6 (i.e., 10,001 – 26,001 lbs. GVWR) in the SNPRM? 

The rule-making notice is open for public comment for 30 days.