There’s a hot topic going around the trucking industry right now about speed governors. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is setting up to enforce all trucks to place speed governors on their trucks. Drivers from both sides are speaking up and very strongly opinionated on the subject. The Salt Lake Tribune from Salt Lake City, Utah, ran an article on February 26, 2011, that gave personal stories on both sides.
The author of the article, Steven Oberbeck, wrote about Francisco Kjolseth, an Owner Operator running for Fed Ex. Francisco feels speed governors are great and has them on his two trucks. His opinion is that it saves him money through maintaining a better fuel economy.
Lita Gorrell feels differently. Her safety concerns are based on passing vehicles that are slower. Without the speed, she has concerns of not being able to speed up enough to pass slower, more dangerous, drivers.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association debates that the new regulation is a “feel-good” law and takes away more common sense decisions that shouldn’t be regulated. Archie King, an Owner Operator from Utah supports this thought and wants to be the one who decides if he saves fuel, not the speed governor.
With safety and fuel economy on the top of the American Truckers Association (ATA) concerns, it’s no wonder they are supporting the speed governors. Ted Scott of the ATA stated “Speed kills. It is as simple as that.” They and the larger carriers want the speed governors.
One of the larger companies, C.R. England, Inc. has had speed governors on there trucks for years at 60 up to 63 mph. Thom Pronk, vice president of safety, training, and recruiting of CR England. told Salt Lake Tribune that the number two reason for traffic accidents is due to speed with the first reason being driver distraction.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/51306517-79/speed-trucks-truck-association.html.csp
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