The Department of Transportation has withdrawn a proposed rule that would have mandated speed limiters on commercial motor vehicles, like semis and eighteen-wheelers, that are used for interstate commerce.
The rule goes back to the Obama Administration that originally proposed that trucks with a gross weight of more than 26,000 pounds be equipped with a speed-limiting device to keep them under 65 mph. The proposal was again advanced by the Biden Administration in 2022.
Last week, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), two agencies under the U.S. Department of Transportation, withdrew the rule. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the device is not only an inconvenience but a hazard for drivers who are forced to go slower than the flow of traffic.
“America’s livestock haulers know how to safely navigate our nation’s roads and putting an artificial speed device in the truck with them was only going to create safety hazards, increase risk to drivers and travelers, and push livestock haulers out of their jobs,” said National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Policy Division Chair Skye Krebs, an Oregon rancher. “As the holder of a Commercial Driver’s License myself, I know how much training and licensing occurs before a hauler gets behind the wheel. We have full faith in the safe practices of our livestock haulers and appreciate FMCSA and NHTSA standing with drivers by withdrawing this rule. NCBA is committed to supporting livestock haulers and protecting the safety of our roadways.”
Todd Spencer, President, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association said, ““No one is more committed to safe highways than America’s truck drivers. We share the same goal as every motorist—arriving safely. But forcing trucks to operate below the speed of traffic makes roads less safe by creating speed differences and more risky interactions.”
Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) introduced a bill that would have outlawed the proposal.
Additionally, in an effort to support the nation’s livestock haulers, the Hauling Exemptions for Livestock Protection (HELP) Act was introduced by Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-CO). This legislation supports livestock haulers by protecting drivers from burdensome hours of service (HOS) and electronic logging device (ELD) mandates.
“When you are hauling cattle, you are dealing with livestock that must be protected from the elements and cannot be easily unloaded until you get to your destination. Livestock haulers need flexibility to complete their trips free from government mandates,” said Krebs. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, haulers and ranchers like me were granted additional flexibility on hours of service and electronic logging devices. In that time, we proved that we could safely transport our livestock and also support the overall supply chain.”
The HELP Act codifies HOS and ELD exemptions that were issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) for about two years during the pandemic. Since then, America’s livestock haulers have been burdened by HOS rules again, but this legislation would reinstate permanent exemptions, providing the flexibility necessary to safely transport livestock.
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NCBA/DOT
