Mandated Use of Speed Limiters Gets a Thumbs Down by Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association

No Mandated Speed Limits

If you haven't heard the big news, perk your electronic ears up this way. The Fed wants to put speed limiters on trucks, and although nothing has been set in stone on the maximum speed, previous proposals have been setting it at about 68 miles per hour, max. Wow! Let's take a closer look at what this all means.

Pros

• Speed limiting means slower speeds, but that also equates to fuel savings
• The slower a big rig goes, the less force it brings with it during an accident.
• The higher the speed, the longer it takes a truck to stop, the greater the potential to be in a bad situation.

Cons

• Limited speeds means no passing on interstates. If all trucks have mandated top speeds, no one will be able to pass. That has the potential to cause massive amounts of congestion.
• Studies contend that speed differentials in traffic lead to more accidents. Vehicles that are slicing and dicing around slower trucks will cause more headaches on the road.
• Slower top speeds means more time behind the wheel. For cross country truckers, this might mean a day or two extra on the road.

The Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association or OOIDA for short, has posted an online petition against the Department of Transportation's upcoming rule. Their stance is this: OOIDA says in the petition the rule will create "an artificial and unsafe speed differential between trucks and other highway users." They say "The faster-moving cars sharing the road with slower trucks will result in an increased chance for collisions as cars try to pass trucks."

Although we here at Trucker to Trucker won't take a political stance, if you are so interested in making a difference, please click on the "petition" link provided above.

For the best in news, information or even selling your rig, hook up with Trucker to Trucker on the Net. We'll steer you right, every time.