The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is against mandatory speed limits for trucks within the United States as well as in Canada, where such a proposal is under legislative review in Ontario.
In the U.S., nine major motor carriers—ATS Intermodal, Covenant Transport, Dart Transit, C.R. England, J.B. Hunt, Jet Express, Schneider National, H.O. Wolding and U.S. Xpress—and Road Safe America, a public safety group filed the petition. They received support in the filing by including a letter of endorsement from the American Trucking Associations.
In Canada, a similar petition has been filed by the Ontario Trucking Association calling for a speed limit of 105 kilometers per hour (65.24 mph). The OOIDA joined the Owner-Operators Business Association of Canada in filing comments against the Canadian proposal.
In opposing the Canadian proposal, OOIDA president and CEO, Jim Johnson is reported to have said, ““One of my main objections to it is a group of motor carriers get together and decide that they personally would like their trucks limited at a specific speed, which they certainly have every right to do on their own. The problem is they want to force this down everyone else's throat as well, so they don't lose competitive advantage, either for available drivers, or for their ease of movement around the country.”
There is no rush to file similar comments against the U.S. proposal on the part of the OOIDA since it notes there is a long review process that would be undertaken by FMCSA before any regulations are written.
OOIDA Director of Regulatory Affairs, Rick Craig, notes, “There will be plenty of time for public comments, and if that time comes, we will let our membership know to take up a strong opposition.”
The OOIDA says it has more than 141,000 members in all 50 states and Canada who collectively own and/or operate more than 240,000 individual heavy-duty trucks and small truck fleets.
For background, see Requiring Truck Speed to be Governed at 68 mph
