Gov't wants to lower speed limits for trucks

[BigD1]

If they lower the speed to say 60 mph, then this is going to have a real effect on delivery times and schedules, so expect prices to go up, and the buck is going to be passed to the consumer with higher prices.

Just saw on the evening news yesterday that traffic fatalities are up for the second year in a row. I think they said traffic fatalities were up 18%, and they were trying to figure out what was going on. Speed across the board they said was causing a lot of it, and pointed out that cars were just going too fast. Distracted driving was also pointed out as being a contributing factor too.

 

[BigD1]

Originally Posted By: jimbrewer
The ridiculously lenient hours of service rules would be a better bet, but we know how far that would get.

I don't see a lot of speeding by trucks anymore. Two speeding tickets in 18 months and you lose your CDL. I'm sure plenty of companies fire you for getting one. They have GPS on all these trucks that can ring an alarm at the home office if you speed.


And they have an alarm too if you heavy brake. They were using that technology in the late 90's for sure because I got a message from dispatch immediately after a woman with a car load of kids pulled out in front of me on a Georgia back country two lane, and I had to slam the brakes to stop from running over them. Dispatch wanted to know why I had an emergency brake. I was still shaking like a leaf on a tree when I was trying to type it all out on my Qualcomm satellite keyboard.

 

[DuckRyder]

Yeah, because increasing closing speeds is a great idea.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
u (many doubles that are more difficult to control),
have you ever driven doubles? In my 20 years of truck driving I learned to like them.they are much safer than 1 long stupid trailer.doubles do not have to swing into oncoming traffic to make a right turn and can turn around on a 2 lane road. 2 very important things a 53 can't do.if given a choice I'd pull doubles or triples every day


Major difference: he is referring to TURNPIKE doubles. That being: two 48' trailers!

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: BigD1
Originally Posted By: jimbrewer
The ridiculously lenient hours of service rules would be a better bet, but we know how far that would get.

I don't see a lot of speeding by trucks anymore. Two speeding tickets in 18 months and you lose your CDL. I'm sure plenty of companies fire you for getting one. They have GPS on all these trucks that can ring an alarm at the home office if you speed.


And they have an alarm too if you heavy brake. They were using that technology in the late 90's for sure because I got a message from dispatch immediately after a woman with a car load of kids pulled out in front of me on a Georgia back country two lane, and I had to slam the brakes to stop from running over them. Dispatch wanted to know why I had an emergency brake. I was still shaking like a leaf on a tree when I was trying to type it all out on my Qualcomm satellite keyboard.


My company broomed that a while back. There were 2 reasons...but mostly, a couple trucks recorded a hard stop EYERY time they stopped.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666
When in used to drive through Arkansas that state had a 65 speed limit for trucks while it was 70 for cars.

I thought it was great. It kept trucks in that right-hand lane where they belong. Cars could easily pass them and traffic flowed fine all the times I was there.


I'd think that heavy vehicles could be restricted from the left lane by regulation without a limiter.

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted By: jimbrewer
The ridiculously lenient hours of service rules would be a better bet, but we know how far that would get.

I don't see a lot of speeding by trucks anymore. Two speeding tickets in 18 months and you lose your CDL. I'm sure plenty of companies fire you for getting one. They have GPS on all these trucks that can ring an alarm at the home office if you speed.
This is the problem I see-the big majors pretty much all behave themselves, watch out for the independents & the lesser majors (Saia & Crete being 2 examples locally)-they will run you off the road at the posted speed limit! I think the little guys must turn over drivers enough that they don't care how they drive.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

Should make Trucks go 55mph through Illinois, and step up patrols, get serious about this.

Might be enough revenue that lawmakers will not raise our taxes.

 

[OneEyeJack]

There's another side to this. Respect the size and bulk of these big rigs.

A few months ago there was a multi car/truck pile up here on the freeway. A car in light traffic moved quickly from the fast lane toward an off ramp but quickly slowed down in the right/slow lane to take that off ramp. The big rig already there doing the California mandated 55 had no chance to miss the car. It was a mess. It was like committing suicide.

The fire department had to cut his body out of the car. It took 2 flatbed tow trucks to take the pieced of the car away. The big rig tractor was a mess, too. The freeway was down to one lane out of 5 for most of the night.

 

[Danno]

We have had speed limit laws for big rigs in Ontario for 5 years governed to 65 mph. Rigs slowed down for a few years, but are back at same speeds as before now. The law is unenforceable.
Just a PR stunt to show the govt is doing something.

 

[xxch4osxx]

Originally Posted By: Danno
We have had speed limit laws for big rigs in Ontario for 5 years governed to 65 mph. Rigs slowed down for a few years, but are back at same speeds as before now. The law is unenforceable.
Just a PR stunt to show the govt is doing something.
That 105kph law got ruled as unconstitutional and thrown out a year or two ago. The boss took the limiter off our trucks a while ago, thankfully.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

A truck driver on I 80, not paying attention to driving, ran into the stopped car of a family of five and killed them all plus the driver in front of their car. He is now in a jail in western Nebraska charged with vehicular manslaughter and under $500,000 bond.He is going to spend several years as guest of Nebraska taxpayers. He did admit to state police that he was "distracted." Probably chatting someone up on his cell phone.

 

[HerrStig]

Highly trained drivers from south a' da' border can now show off their skills on US highways.

 

[WobblyElvis]

I'm sure that I am in the minority here but I would lower the max limit to 60mph for everyone and enforce it. Safer and less fuel consumption, cleaner air. In my opinion.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
I'm sure that I am in the minority here but I would lower the max limit to 60mph for everyone and enforce it. Safer and less fuel consumption, cleaner air. In my opinion.


Thanks for your input Jimmy.

 

[CT Rob]

You can thank the govt for it.Drivers have to drive against their clock( can only work 14hrs and only drive 11hrs of them,then 10hrs off).With little to no time for stopping other than the govt required 30 minute break within the first 8hrs of driving.Yes some drivers are cowboys some are excellent drivers but driving against the clock does nothing for most except cause lots of problems.Rest areas are packed as are truck stops because once your time is up there is no more driving unless an emergency as in no safe place to park.Rules for that too.Google and read up on.Trucks move just about everything in this country and world and without them we would have almost nothing.Thank a trucker,for he or she works their butt off and most arent paid much for the hours they put in everyday.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666
When in used to drive through Arkansas that state had a 65 speed limit for trucks while it was 70 for cars.

I thought it was great. It kept trucks in that right-hand lane where they belong. Cars could easily pass them and traffic flowed fine all the times I was there.


That's the biggest problem I see with semis, they won't stay out of the left lane(s). Their drivers seem to think they need to be playing leap frog all the way down the road, passing other semis. When there is more than two lanes on a freeway, semis are supposed to stay in the right two lanes, but lately I see them clogging up the far left lanes...they should be ticketed for this...truckers doing 70+ is dangerous, but truckers in the left lanes are dangerous AND annoying...

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: Bud
People will drive at whatever speed they want. Doesn't matter what the speed limit is, and never has. They will risk a ticket, no problem. Government knows lower speed limits will not work, but it makes it look like they are doing something.


Thing is, speed limits would work if they were enforced...

 

[dlayman]

I regularly drive a state highway that descends a mountain while at the same time reducing from two lanes each way to one and then travels through a narrow, curvy stretch between two steep hillsides. When the descent begins trucks are limited to a 20 MPH speed limit while the car speed limit is 55. The trucks, going downhill, approaching the lane reduction and narrow curvy stretch will roll along at 70 plus and then hit the brakes hard at the last second as they hit the single lane. They regularly go 350% of the speed limit, and do it right in front of state troopers and don't get pulled. I don't understand this. It's almost like they have a free pass to ignore the law. There have been a ton of truck accidents in the narrow stretch of road, but still no enforcement. Why even have the lower speed limit if enforcement is just going to ignore it. I've been tempted to pull off and ask the trooper why the trucks aren't pulled over, but I'd probably just be making trouble for myself. I also get the trucks side by side going up the mountain at 15 MPH in the right lane and 18 in the left in a 55 zone.

 

[wander2039]

Only if it's going to apply to all. OTR, except maybe a handful, I rarely see any reckless driving. Now the trucks hauling cattle etc and grain.. ie the farm trucks I've seen them pass on 2 lanes roads had to be excess of 80mph. The speed limit was 65mph and there were vehicles oncoming. I almost expect it anymore. Frankly overall driver licensing needs to be more strict... Johnson county KS could benefit from this.