Proposed nationwide 65mph truck limit

[US 89]

Two US senators have proposed a bill that would require all new trucks to have electronic speed limiters installed and set for 65 mph. It would also require existing trucks with this technology to activate it. The bill’s sponsors say this will save 63 to 214 lives per year.

Link to ABC News article

In my opinion, this isn’t a good idea. A law like this creates a large speed differential between trucks and cars, which tends to cause crashes, especially in western states which have 75 or 80 mph limits otherwise.

[RoadMaster09]

Two US senators have proposed a bill that would require all new trucks to have electronic speed limiters installed and set for 65 mph. It would also require existing trucks with this technology to activate it. The bill's sponsors say this will save 63 to 214 lives per year.

Link to ABC News article

In my opinion, this isn't a good idea. A law like this creates a large speed differential between trucks and cars, which tends to cause crashes, especially in western states which have 75 or 80 mph limits otherwise.

I agree, it's a bad idea. It might work in the east and especially Northeast, but where speed limits are 75 or 80 and it will create rapid closing rates, it will be problematic.

If this is brought in, they will need to ban trucks from the left lane on all high-speed freeways where there aren't clearance issues and enforce "keep right except to pass" rules.

[Joe The Dragon]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKCqkgcR4G8

[jeffandnicole]

Two US senators have proposed a bill that would require all new trucks to have electronic speed limiters installed and set for 65 mph. It would also require existing trucks with this technology to activate it. The bill’s sponsors say this will save 63 to 214 lives per year.

Link to ABC News article

In my opinion, this isn’t a good idea. A law like this creates a large speed differential between trucks and cars, which tends to cause crashes, especially in western states which have 75 or 80 mph limits otherwise.

I agree, it's a bad idea. It might work in the east and especially Northeast...

You haven't seen how fast trucks go in the Northeast, have you??!! lol

[RoadMaster09]

Two US senators have proposed a bill that would require all new trucks to have electronic speed limiters installed and set for 65 mph. It would also require existing trucks with this technology to activate it. The bill's sponsors say this will save 63 to 214 lives per year.

Link to ABC News article

In my opinion, this isn't a good idea. A law like this creates a large speed differential between trucks and cars, which tends to cause crashes, especially in western states which have 75 or 80 mph limits otherwise.

I agree, it's a bad idea. It might work in the east and especially Northeast...

You haven't seen how fast trucks go in the Northeast, have you??!! lol

I'm thinking since the speed limits are generally 65 there, although even then it may not work well.

[sparker]

I can see it now:  a truck with a lighter load doing the max 64.8-65.2 (given tolerance of electronic components) attempting to pass a heavier-laden truck doing 64.5-64.7.  Rolling blockade as a regular rural freeway feature, here we come!  I've seen enough of this sort of shit occurring on I-5 and CA 99 in the Valley and pretty much all the desert Interstate corridors from 8 north to 15 without adding speed governors to the mix.  Let's hope common sense prevails and this gets voted down in a NY minute! 

[jakeroot]

At the rate self-driving vehicles are developing, I don't know how much longer we'll even need speed limits. I don't mind a 65 limit, assuming self-driving trucks will travel in platoons without any passing that may block the #1 lane.

Everyone says self-driving cars are far away, but they're not. Many modern vehicles are capable of full self-driving on freeways. Tesla's can even change lanes (and exit) automatically. This truck completely drove itself for about ten miles, without anyone in it, about two weeks ago:

https://youtu.be/UCNSZKXvi64

[MikeTheActuary]

At the rate self-driving vehicles are developing, I don't know how much longer we'll even need speed limits. I don't mind a 65 limit, assuming self-driving trucks will travel in platoons without any passing that may block the #1 lane.

Everyone says self-driving cars are far away, but they're not. Many modern vehicles are capable of full self-driving on freeways. Tesla's can even change lanes (and exit) automatically.

They're about 80% of the way to where they need to be to allow autonomous vehicles to become widespread.

The challenge is that the remaining 20% isn't quite so simple.

We're at a point where we will start to see more autonomous vehicles in conditions that can generally be trusted to be relatively "easy", and human-operated vehicles gain more autonomous functions.  But the latest auto and insurance industry projections I've seen suggest it's still another 30 years or so before half the private vehicles on the road are capable of full autonomy.

[oscar]

I can see it now:  a truck with a lighter load doing the max 64.8-65.2 (given tolerance of electronic components) attempting to pass a heavier-laden truck doing 64.5-64.7.  Rolling blockade as a regular rural freeway feature, here we come!  I've seen enough of this sort of shit occurring on I-5 and CA 99 in the Valley and pretty much all the desert Interstate corridors from 8 north to 15 without adding speed governors to the mix.  Let's hope common sense prevails and this gets voted down in a NY minute! 

At the rate self-driving vehicles are developing, I don't know how much longer we'll even need speed limits. I don't mind a 65 limit, assuming self-driving trucks will travel in platoons without any passing that may block the #1 lane.

If they don't, and an autonomous truck rolling blockade develops, will the cops be able to safely pull over the one(s) causing the clog so faster traffic can pass?

In general, how close are autonomous vehicles to being able to respond to police/flagger direction, such as for signal outages, or construction zones with alternating one-way traffic?

[1995hoo]

Some states (Virginia comes to mind since that's where I grew up and still live) have specifically eliminated split speed limits that used to be in effect because they found that any safety benefit from keeping the heavy vehicles' momentum down was offset negatively by other problems caused by things like speed variance, increased lane changing and aggressive driving, etc. When Virginia first started posting NMSL-authorized 65-mph speed limits in 1988 or 1989, both trucks and buses were limited to 55 (and there was a separate sign underneath saying so). Later they eliminated the bus limit and whited-out "buses"  on the signs, and then a while later they also eliminated the truck limit.

It seems to me most states' DOTs have a sense for where trucks legitimately need particular restrictions, though certainly some states (mountain ones, especially) are better at this than others. I'm thinking of this past Tuesday when we drove south through Pennsylvania and a couple of roads had the mandatory truck brake stops followed by descents posted with 20-mph truck speed limits.

[Brandon]

Who the fuck came up with this dumbass, shitty idea!?!

My answer to these assholes:
FUCK NO!

[froggie]

You haven't seen how fast trucks go in the Northeast, have you??!! lol

Not all of the Northeast.  It's not common to see trucks over 70 in New England, especially northern New England.

[jeffandnicole]

I can see it now:  a truck with a lighter load doing the max 64.8-65.2 (given tolerance of electronic components) attempting to pass a heavier-laden truck doing 64.5-64.7.  Rolling blockade as a regular rural freeway feature, here we come!  I've seen enough of this sort of shit occurring on I-5 and CA 99 in the Valley and pretty much all the desert Interstate corridors from 8 north to 15 without adding speed governors to the mix.  Let's hope common sense prevails and this gets voted down in a NY minute! 

In order for a blockade to occur, a trucker would need to purposely speed up or slow down slightly in order to allow another truck to get side-by-side, and then they would need to change their speed again to match the other vehicle.   In all but very rare circumstances, this is done purposely.  All it takes is for one trucker to slow down a moment, even by 1 or 2 mph, to allow the other to pass.

So, if truckers had automatic speed control, in all but the most unlikely of circumstances, they wouldn't be able to simply get to the side of each other, unless they purposely overrid the controls to slow down slightly to await another truck passing by.

If they don't, and an autonomous truck rolling blockade develops, will the cops be able to safely pull over the one(s) causing the clog so faster traffic can pass?

It's tough.  If there's a blockade, the cops will need to speed along the shoulder or slowly weave their way thru traffic.  Or, they could get out in front of the trucks via a median U-turn area, and drive slower in one of the lanes to force one of the trucks to slow down.

[AlexandriaVA]

I think it's a good idea and would make training and truck manufacturing more straightforward.

[Max Rockatansky]

I can see it now:  a truck with a lighter load doing the max 64.8-65.2 (given tolerance of electronic components) attempting to pass a heavier-laden truck doing 64.5-64.7.  Rolling blockade as a regular rural freeway feature, here we come!  I've seen enough of this sort of shit occurring on I-5 and CA 99 in the Valley and pretty much all the desert Interstate corridors from 8 north to 15 without adding speed governors to the mix.  Let's hope common sense prevails and this gets voted down in a NY minute! 

Worse, I-10 west of AZ 85 to CA 86...those can be some hellish truck blockade corridors as.  CA 43 and CA 58 might just get that much more appealing for me over 99 out of Fresno when the Centennial Corridors open if the truck limit happens. 

[webny99]

I have mixed feelings. Out west, limiting trucks to 65 is almost certainly a bad idea, but here in the Northeast, keeping the trucks out of the left lane(s) seems like it would help traffic flow. I don't understand the disdain for large speed differentials. The lower the speed differential, the worse the traffic flow is. See: the Thruway. When trucks start passing, backlogs form in seconds and are often several miles long by the time they're done.

[jeffandnicole]

I have mixed feelings. Out west, limiting trucks to 65 is almost certainly a bad idea, but here in the Northeast, keeping the trucks out of the left lane(s) seems like it would help traffic flow. I don't understand the disdain for large speed differentials. The lower the speed differential, the worse the traffic flow is. See: the Thruway. When trucks start passing, backlogs form in seconds and are often several miles long by the time they're done.

Its not speed differentials...it's speed LIMIT differentials that cause the issue.

[Max Rockatansky]

I have mixed feelings. Out west, limiting trucks to 65 is almost certainly a bad idea, but here in the Northeast, keeping the trucks out of the left lane(s) seems like it would help traffic flow. I don't understand the disdain for large speed differentials. The lower the speed differential, the worse the traffic flow is. See: the Thruway. When trucks start passing, backlogs form in seconds and are often several miles long by the time they're done.

Its not speed differentials...it's speed LIMIT differentials that cause the issue.

I'd be remiss to mention that the truck speed limit in California is usually 55 MPH on limited access roads...granted it is almost universally ignored. 

[hotdogPi]

here in the Northeast, keeping the trucks out of the left lane(s) seems like it would help traffic flow

They already do that, at least where I live. MA state law says that trucks must stay in the right two lanes (not counting the breakdown lane when it is open), and truck drivers always follow that specific law.

[debragga]

At the rate self-driving vehicles are developing, I don't know how much longer we'll even need speed limits. I don't mind a 65 limit, assuming self-driving trucks will travel in platoons without any passing that may block the #1 lane.

Everyone says self-driving cars are far away, but they're not. Many modern vehicles are capable of full self-driving on freeways. Tesla's can even change lanes (and exit) automatically. This truck completely drove itself for about ten miles, without anyone in it, about two weeks ago:

https://youtu.be/UCNSZKXvi64

That video isn't of a self-driving truck, there was a guy in a control room remotely driving it.

[vdeane]

I can see it now:  a truck with a lighter load doing the max 64.8-65.2 (given tolerance of electronic components) attempting to pass a heavier-laden truck doing 64.5-64.7.  Rolling blockade as a regular rural freeway feature, here we come!  I've seen enough of this sort of shit occurring on I-5 and CA 99 in the Valley and pretty much all the desert Interstate corridors from 8 north to 15 without adding speed governors to the mix.  Let's hope common sense prevails and this gets voted down in a NY minute! 

In order for a blockade to occur, a trucker would need to purposely speed up or slow down slightly in order to allow another truck to get side-by-side, and then they would need to change their speed again to match the other vehicle.   In all but very rare circumstances, this is done purposely.  All it takes is for one trucker to slow down a moment, even by 1 or 2 mph, to allow the other to pass.

So, if truckers had automatic speed control, in all but the most unlikely of circumstances, they wouldn't be able to simply get to the side of each other, unless they purposely overrid the controls to slow down slightly to await another truck passing by.

If they don't, and an autonomous truck rolling blockade develops, will the cops be able to safely pull over the one(s) causing the clog so faster traffic can pass?

It's tough.  If there's a blockade, the cops will need to speed along the shoulder or slowly weave their way thru traffic.  Or, they could get out in front of the trucks via a median U-turn area, and drive slower in one of the lanes to force one of the trucks to slow down.

One vehicle's 65 isn't necessarily the same as another's.  I remember there used to be a radar "your speed" sign on a road near where my parents live.  In my previous car, if I was going 35, it would show as 33.  In my current car, it would show 35 when I was going 35.

[Flint1979]

Here in Michigan the traffic on the Interstate's generally moves about 80 mph as it is and many people go above 80 mph to limit the truck traffic to only 65 is going to cause several problems, it's frustrating to be on a highway like I-94 which is two lanes in each direction between Ann Arbor and Benton Harbor and have a truck in the left lane doing 65 mph passing a truck in the right lane doing 64 mph. All the traffic behind the two trucks has to slow down to that speed which is ridiculous so this whole thing is ridiculous and I hope it doesn't pass.

[yand]

At the rate self-driving vehicles are developing, I don't know how much longer we'll even need speed limits. I don't mind a 65 limit, assuming self-driving trucks will travel in platoons without any passing that may block the #1 lane.

Everyone says self-driving cars are far away, but they're not. Many modern vehicles are capable of full self-driving on freeways. Tesla's can even change lanes (and exit) automatically. This truck completely drove itself for about ten miles, without anyone in it, about two weeks ago:

https://youtu.be/UCNSZKXvi64

That video isn't of a self-driving truck, there was a guy in a control room remotely driving it.

self driving truck augmented by remote control is a pretty good system. achieves many benefits of SDVs without needing 100% self driving technology.

[jakeroot]

That video isn't of a self-driving truck, there was a guy in a control room remotely driving it.

Good point. I misinterpreted the description.

Here's another video:

https://youtu.be/fnRz0JENL1Q

[jakeroot]

We're at a point where we will start to see more autonomous vehicles in conditions that can generally be trusted to be relatively "easy", and human-operated vehicles gain more autonomous functions.  But the latest auto and insurance industry projections I've seen suggest it's still another 30 years or so before half the private vehicles on the road are capable of full autonomy.

I dunno how much I would trust any insurance industry projections. They benefit from human drivers, who have to pay huge sums for their policies. Robotic cars likely won't need such extensive insurance coverage, assuming they become widespread and normal.

Auto industry? Maybe so, since they're the ones building the cars. But their market is often people who not only drive because they have to, but drive because they like to drive. The last thing many of their customers would want to here, is that their next purchase is going to do most of the driving on its own.