Feds looking at mandating speed regulators for trucks

Federal authorities are looking at mandating heavy-duty vehicles be equipped with governors that regulate a vehicle’s maximum speed.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) say such a measure could save lives and more than $1 billion in fuel costs each year.

“There are significant safety benefits to this proposed rulemaking,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a news release. “In addition to saving lives, the projected fuel and emissions savings make this proposal a win for safety, energy conservation, and our environment.”

The fed’s proposal would establish safety standards requiring all newly manufactured U.S. trucks, buses, and multipurpose passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating more than 26,000 pounds to come equipped with speed limiting devices. The proposal discusses the benefits of setting the maximum speed at 60, 65, and 68 miles per hour, but the Agencies will consider other speeds based on public input.