The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced in May 2022 that the agency would pursue a speed limiter requirement on heavy trucks and buses. FMCSA received over 15,600 (mostly negative) comments in response to that announcement, raising a long list of questions to be answered.
Most folks who filed comments wanted to know what the proposed maximum speed would be, could a speed limiter be overridden, and under what circumstances, and what model years of trucks would be covered. Initially FMCSA targeted December 29, 2023, for the actual proposal. Now the DOT Significant Rulemakings Report says that a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (SNPRM) on Heavy Vehicle Speed Limiters is anticipated in May this year.
Here are a few key details from the Rulemakings Report:
“Specifically, motor carriers operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) or gross vehicle weight (GVW) of … 26,001 pounds or more, that are equipped with an electronic engine control unit (ECU) capable of governing the maximum speed [would] be required to limit the CMV to a speed to be determined by the rulemaking and to maintain that ECU setting for the service life of the vehicle.”
Not yet known are the models of affected trucks, whether the speed limiters can be overridden under any circumstances, or even the proposed maximum speed. There are many other questions (penalties, effective date of the rule, whether FMCSA will maintain a list of acceptable speed limiters, as it has for electronic logging devices, ELDs, etc.). ICSA will reach out to members at such time as the proposal appears and these questions are answered.
No driver plans for a breakdown, but every driver should be ready for one. Mechanical issues, tire failures, or other unexpected problems can happen when you least expect it. Knowing how to safely bring your vehicle to a stop and protect yourself and others can help keep a minor inconvenience from becoming a serious incident.
For truckers, testing for marijuana continues. Just as with testing for cocaine, amphetamines, PCP, and opioids, testing for marijuana will continue to be conducted on a pre-employment, random, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, and return-to-duty basis.
As temperatures rise, so do the risks associated with tires, brakes, and overall vehicle condition. Summer heat doesn’t just stress drivers, it amplifies mechanical weaknesses, making maintenance and inspections more important than ever.