Group Calls For Speed Limiters, AEBs on All Trucks

The Truck Safety Coalition is calling on the transportation secretary to swiftly implement several safety measures. 

The group sent a letter to Secretary Pete Buttigieg March 14, urging him to mandate automatic emergency braking (AEB) and speed limiters set no higher than 60 mph. The requested safety measures were prompted by the rail spill in East Palestine, Ohio, as some trucks also transport hazardous materials. 

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced in February they were looking at requiring AEB systems on heavy trucks. That rulemaking is planned for release in March. 

The letter also called for the Transportation Department to restore its 2011 rule requiring a 30-minute break after eight hours of driving, as well as to screen drivers for sleep apnea and require them to take a proficiency exam. 

Several other groups co-signed the letter, including Parents Against Tired Truckers, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. 

“There are no defensible excuses for further delays when public safety is clearly at risk,” the letter closes. “We urge you to act now on mandating these imperative and overdue safety improvements.”