Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023:
During witness testimony Tuesday at a hearing of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, a representative from the North Dakota Department of Transportation said the department has “concerns” about a potential speed limiter mandate on heavy-duty trucks.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has signaled its intent to publish a notice of proposed rulemaking, possibly as soon as December, proposing to mandate speed limiters be used by most interstate motor carriers.
The hearing featured three witnesses discussing issues related to roadway safety and examining the causes of roadway safety challenges and possible solutions. Testifying were Karina Ricks, a partner with city planning organization Cityfi; Brenda Neville, president and CEO of the Iowa Motor Truck Association and co-chair of the American Trucking Associations’ Women in Motion Advisory Council; and Karin Mongeon, NDDOT Highway Safety Division director.
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota) said the idea of mandating speed limiters on heavy-duty trucks “gives me serious concern,” noting that in his home state, the speed limit on interstate highways is 75 mph. A mandate could create a situation in which trucks travel up to 10 mph slower than the speed limit.
Cramer asked Mongeon whether NDDOT worries about the potential for the disruption of traffic flows if speed limiters were to be mandated.
[Related: Speed-limiter mandate: Owner-operators call out FMCSA's misplaced priorities]
