The bill on speed limiters in trucks may be cancelled

The bill is intended to prevent the FMCSA from promoting a rule requiring the use of speed limiters in commercial vehicles.

The House version of the DRIVE Act was introduced by Rep.  Josh Brechin (Republican Party, Oklahoma) in May.

The Association of Independent Owner-Operators supported the bill, saying that a mandate for speed limiters in trucks would negatively impact road safety.

“Forcing trucks to move slower then other traffic increases interaction between vehicles and results in more accidents,” said OOIDA President Todd Spencer. “For car drivers, our highways will look like an obstacle course.”

A year ago, the FMCSA issued a proposed rulemaking notice addressing the requirement that commercial vehicles with the total weight 26001 pounds or more should be fitted with speed limiting devices.

Top speed was not listed in the advance notice, but previous offerings had 60, 65, and 68 mph options.

The FMCSA is expected to release a formal proposal, including the maximum speed limit, later this year. However, efforts are now being made in the House of Representatives and the Senate to reverse this rulemaking process.

The National Cattlemen`s Beef  Association, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the ational Association of Small Trucking Companies, the Towing and Recovery Association of America, the Livestock Trade Association, and the Western States Trucking Association are among the organizations that are fighting against mandatory speed limits.

“Cattle meat producers have complete confidence in our highly skilled breeders,” said National Cattlemen Association President Todd Wilkinson. “If you add yet another government-installed technology to their trucks, it will be harder for them to adapt to road conditions, making the roads more dangerous.”

The House Appropriations Committee has previously attempted to repeal the speed limiter mandate. On July 18, the committee put forward a bill on transportation costs, which includes a provision that would prevent the FMCSA from using any funding to develop rules regarding speed limiters.