Are OTR truckers restricted from speeding?

[way2roll]

In a trip over the weekend, we spent a few hours on Sb 95 from NC, through SC, into GA. What I noticed was every single OTR truck doing the speed limit or less. While not faulting the trucks and I have much respect for drivers and no issue with them at all - this post is not an invitation to a flame fest. It's just a question. Was something recently imposed? I used to see trucks speeding or at a minimum keeping up with traffic.

[Grit_dog]

^And even on a good day the 10/11/14 hour rule combined with the 7/8day 60/70 hours rule means an average of under 9 hours on the road per day. Before unavoidable “off the road” delays like loading unloading inspection etc.
Aside from maybe pilots and air traffic control, don’t know their rules, I can’t think of any other day to day industries that have near as strict of hours.

[JRscooby]

bgum wrote:

wanderingaimlessly wrote:
Just one more example of Government beauracraps doing everything they can to control every aspect of everyones life.

And for that we thank them. Those rules were caused by events that the rules are intended to prevent. Complaints and lawlessness is committed by outlaws not law-abiding citizens and should not be tolerated by the population.

Yes, laws need to be enforced, can't have a driver running a extra hour to get home to family instead of sleeping in truck. OTOH, on every RV board I have looked at there is discussions about somebody drives his desk for 40 hrs in a week, then Friday night, loads family in vehicle he likely only drives twice a month, and "I'm not wasting vacation" for 400 miles.
Another issue, and the reason I would not pull a refeer, is wait time. Say a shipper calls, wants a load picked up at 8 AM, to be delivered 550 miles away. Dispatch sets up truck to be there, and makes delivery appointment for 7AM next day. EZ step, for a good hand. But driver drive hour to get there on time. Vehicle inspection, he's used 1.25 of his 14. But the load is not ready, finish loading and paperwork at 12:30. Now instead of having 10 hours to drive, he has 5.75 hours before he has to sleep 10 hours. At quarter to 7, he still has over 5 hours of driving to get to destination, can't unload until the next day. Who pays for that truck/driver for the extra day?

[ford_truck_guy]

I have seen the trucking industry take a 180 degree turn over the past 35 + years... The old hands are not driving anymore, its a new age of driver, and not one I agree with...

With all the regulations, there has been a huge uptick of old drivers retiring and new, non English speaking drivers coming in.. I don't have a problem with them, its the fact that most cannot read English either which is a problem in many ways.

I would bet that we take 12 or 15 trucks a day in just 1 or our warehouses, and I bet 2 or 3 of them cannot hardly back into the 14' wide bay door. Then once unloaded, we have to go through all the paperwork and determine what is ours as they have NO CLUE... I have met a few, non English speaking drivers that were awesome, they are now working for us, and speaking English ( kind of )

[wa8yxm]

BCSnob wrote:

wanderingaimlessly wrote:
Just one more example of Government beauracraps doing everything they can to control every aspect of everyones life.

What law requires the use of speed limiters on trucks? Based upon my research a proposed bill to require speed limiters set at 65mph has not passed. If correct, it’s not the government setting the speed limiters, but business are.

That I know of.. No law (However I do admit to limited knowledge in this area) however There is a speed limit law dang near everywhere. And corporations may pass regulations about speeding.

If the company says "Speed and you get fired" you don't speed.
But that is not a law and it's not the govermanurant.

[JRscooby]

valhalla360 wrote:

Dutch_12078 wrote:
Many OTR trucks built since 2000 have been required to be equipped with an ELD, Electronic Logging Device as of December, 2017. Electronic Logging Devices monitor drivers’ stats like speed, mileage, hours, driving habits, and location. Most companies and their insurance carriers generally don't look very kindly on too many over the speed limit flags on the logs. State/federal agencies do not have direct access to the ELD data, a common myth...

Yes & No, the govt doesn't have access to the logs.

Are they currently randomly pulling them and issuing tickets...no.

If there is a crash, you can bet the lawyers will get hold of the logs and they will be used against you.

Not saying this is good or bad, just correcting the statement.

I don't know about E-logs, other than no fudge factor. If you start to leave, then wait for a pedestrian in truckstop to get out of way, they act like it will cost money at the day. But I do know that I had to send a copy of my daily log to home office, to be available for government inspection. (I had to send explanation how I averaged speed when I used GPS driving time.)

And as to the lawyer thing; Back about 20 years back it was reported in a industry publication that a motorcycle running estimated triple speed limit glanced off a car, the median wall, another car, then a solid hit on the back of a trailer. But because the driver would be out of hours before he could of drove the half hour to terminal the trucking company's insurance paid out.

[valhalla360]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Thermoguy wrote:
In the NW, trucks still speeding and camping in the left lane... Sucks trying to get around them in heavier traffic. (not hauling myself)

I know we have a supply issue, but I see more large trucks on the road then I can remember in the past.

Truck in left lane passing on two lane freeway 100% legal at Truck speed limit of 60 mph when auto traffic is 70.

Now if they are in the left lane on three lane highway they are breaking the law unless passing just like you are in a passenger vehicle.

In most states, it is an infraction to hang in the left lane unless you are actively passing. If you are "passing" for the last 10 miles, you can and should get a ticket. Claiming you are passing is unlikely to hold up if you get the ticket but it's a rarely enforced law.

[valhalla360]

Dutch_12078 wrote:
Many OTR trucks built since 2000 have been required to be equipped with an ELD, Electronic Logging Device as of December, 2017. Electronic Logging Devices monitor drivers’ stats like speed, mileage, hours, driving habits, and location. Most companies and their insurance carriers generally don't look very kindly on too many over the speed limit flags on the logs. State/federal agencies do not have direct access to the ELD data, a common myth...

Yes & No, the govt doesn't have access to the logs.

Are they currently randomly pulling them and issuing tickets...no.

If there is a crash, you can bet the lawyers will get hold of the logs and they will be used against you.

Not saying this is good or bad, just correcting the statement.

[bgum]

Every job action requires a lot of paperwork and is loaded with rules (regulations) and at times are denigrated.

Take a look at the number of lawyers who deal with big rig wrecks. What do you think came first? The lawyers or the wrecks?

Fortunately the vast majority of big rig drivers are real professionals who are just trying to make a living. Like any industry they do have a few who mess things up for others.

[J_R2]

Hate trucks? Stop buying stuff, problem solved. As far as speed..... INSURANCE.

[dieseltruckdriv]

KD4UPL wrote:
SNIPPED...
I haven't driven since they implemented the electronic logs. I don't think I would like it very much.

Same here, but apparently some seem to think we were out killing people just because we were trying to deliver something they needed.

[KD4UPL]

When I drove for a small independent trucking company there was no governor on the truck; I know it would do at least 85 MPH. Later, driving for a larger company their trucks were limited to 68 MPH when using the "pedal" but would go up to 70 MPH if on cruise control. This was done to encourage the use of cruise control in an effort to save fuel I guess.
Most big company trucks are limited to 60 or 65 or whatever by the company. It's the independent guys that can usually go as fast as they like because they own the truck and have it set up the way they want it.
What stinks is when a truck limited to 68 wants to pass a truck limited to 65; it does take him a long time but there's not much he can do about it.
I haven't driven since they implemented the electronic logs. I don't think I would like it very much.

[wanderingaimles]

My point was the required installation of the tattletale devices. Government sticking its nose into every aspect of everything. And if they can claim that their intrusions saved even one life, then they can justify similar intrusions into personal vehicles.
Most already have the tech installed, greedy money hungry pol's would love to turn on that cash cow. They tried with traffic cameras and automatic radar units, and people revolted but if you believe they are done, look at how they treat industries they dont like.
Pol's believe in taxing everything they dont like, and if you are not on mass transit, they dont like you.

[Thermoguy]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Thermoguy wrote:
In the NW, trucks still speeding and camping in the left lane... Sucks trying to get around them in heavier traffic. (not hauling myself)

I know we have a supply issue, but I see more large trucks on the road then I can remember in the past.

Truck in left lane passing on two lane freeway 100% legal at Truck speed limit of 60 mph when auto traffic is 70.

Now if they are in the left lane on three lane highway they are breaking the law unless passing just like you are in a passenger vehicle.

Camping in the left lane means they stay in the left lane regardless of traffic in the right lane. This forces other drivers to pass them on the right. I know they do it because they don't want to be troubled by on ramps and people entering the freeway. But, as a person who drives a couple different trailers, if I move over to the left, I go back to the right lane as soon as I can. I try to not block faster drivers. It's easier to slow down a little in the right lane to accommodate a poor merger than it is to block traffic in the left lane. But, in reality, traffic sucks these days.

[dieseltruckdriv]

bgum wrote:

wanderingaimlessly wrote:
Just one more example of Government beauracraps doing everything they can to control every aspect of everyones life.

And for that we thank them. Those rules were caused by events that the rules are intended to prevent. Complaints and lawlessness is committed by outlaws not law-abiding citizens and should not be tolerated by the population.

You may thank them, but you have obviously not been in that business. I have been and got out if it because of the excessive amount of federal government oversight.

I do love living in one of the most free states in this union.

[Cummins12V98]

Thermoguy wrote:
In the NW, trucks still speeding and camping in the left lane... Sucks trying to get around them in heavier traffic. (not hauling myself)

I know we have a supply issue, but I see more large trucks on the road then I can remember in the past.

Truck in left lane passing on two lane freeway 100% legal at Truck speed limit of 60 mph when auto traffic is 70.

Now if they are in the left lane on three lane highway they are breaking the law unless passing just like you are in a passenger vehicle.