The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) supports the Deregulating Restrictions on Interstate Vehicles and Eighteen-Wheelers (DRIVE) Act.
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) introduced the bill on May 8. The legislation would prohibit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) from promulgating any rule or regulation mandating speed limiters on large commercial motor vehicles.
“No one is more committed to safe highways than America’s truck drivers,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said. “We share the same goal as every motorist—arriving safely. But forcing trucks to operate below the speed of traffic makes roads less safe by creating speed differences and more risky interactions. We appreciate Senator Daines’ leadership in standing with truckers and working to protect all road users from the dangers of a one-size-fits-all federal speed limiter regulation.”
Speed-limiting devices on large trucks result in higher rates of vehicle interaction and higher crash rates, OOIDA said, by creating unnecessary congestion and dangerous speed differentials among vehicles.
The bill was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. It has the support of numerous organizations including the National Association of Small Trucking Companies.
U.S. Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year.