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The Trump administration has scrapped an Obama-era proposal that would have set a de facto national speed limit of up to 65 mph for big rigs and buses on American highways. This plan aimed to reduce the severity of crashes involving heavy vehicles.
Obama-era regulators believed limiting trucks and buses to no more than 65 mph could save between 63 and 214 lives annually, while also saving drivers over $800 million in fuel and emissions costs. However, Trump officials now argue that installing governors on all vehicles weighing more than 26,000 pounds would raise trucking costs and potentially worsen traffic conditions by stalling traffic and increasing the number of trucks on the road.
Henry Albert, a Texas-based independent owner-operator, explained that drivers are incentivized to drive faster because they get paid per mile. He supports some safety advocates who support speed restrictions but personally limits his vehicle’s speed to 80 mph.
Federal regulators received over 15,000 comments opposing the proposal, with many states objecting to a national policy that would override their right to set local speed limits. Trump has ordered federal agencies to consider withdrawing or voiding what he deems burdensome regulations. The Department of Transportation cited this order in terminating the governor plan.
Regulators also noted that the rule did not adequately address potential risks such as increased speed differentials between passenger vehicles and big rigs, or the need for more trucks to carry the same amount of cargo. They highlighted advancements in safety technologies like radar-assisted emergency alert and braking systems since the proposal was first introduced.
The American Trucking Associations supported a version restricting big-rig speeds to 65 mph but noted that USDOT can balance deregulatory actions with sensible regulations aligned with its safety mission.
Safety advocates continue to push for using technology like governors to limit driving speeds nationally. There’s growing support for better speed-limit enforcement, as evidenced by California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoing a proposed state law requiring new vehicles to alert drivers when they exceed the speed limit.
Albert emphasized that better speed-limit enforcement could improve safety for everyone on the road.
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What was the Trump administration's stance on the Obama-era proposal to set a de facto national speed limit for big rigs and buses?
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