FMCSA Postpones Heavy Truck Speed Limiter Proposal
According to a recent regulatory update, the FMCSA has pushed back its plan to require speed limiters on heavy-duty trucks until May.
The postponement, mentioned in the update released on Jan. 28, didn’t come with a specific explanation. The FMCSA hasn’t given a clear timeline for when the rulemaking process might move forward. This proposal has been in the works for quite some time.
The FMCSA plans to proceed with speed limiter rulemaking by issuing an additional notice of proposed rulemaking. This comes after the initial proposal jointly issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and FMCSA back in September 2016. Talks between FMCSA and NHTSA are ongoing to determine if more regulations are needed for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) manufacturers.
Which Trucks Would Be Affected?
The FMCSA hasn’t disclosed the exact speed limit but did specify which trucks would be impacted by the regulation. Trucks weighing more than 26,000 pounds involved in interstate commerce would be required to have limiters installed. These limiters would have electronic controls capable of regulating the maximum speed the vehicle can go throughout its service life.
Feedback from the public, including over 15,000 comments on the agency’s earlier notice, showed different opinions. Larger motor carriers and trade associations generally supported the proposal, depending on the set speed limit. Still, many small truckers and independent owners are worried about safety and how it might affect their businesses.
Industry Expert Calls for Comprehensive Approach to Truck Safety
Dan Horvath, Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Safety Policy for the American Trucking Associations, stressed a comprehensive approach to speed limiters, suggesting they be used along with safety technologies like automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control.
The FMCSA’s move is in line with a joint proposal with NHTSA to standardize the performance of automatic emergency braking systems on heavy trucks. However, concerns have arisen about the functionality of these systems on certain Freightliner Cascadia trucks, leading to an investigation by NHTSA into reported issues.
The FMCSA has delayed issuing a proposed rule to revise the process for determining a carrier’s fitness until June 2025. This revision aims to use available safety data, including inspection data, to better assess carrier fitness and improve the identification and removal of unfit carriers from the roads. Public input is being sought to optimize the use of safety data for these goals.
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