SPEED LIMIT * USA - Truckers Back a National 65-mph

A highway slowdown has begun in response to high energy prices—and the big trucking companies are leading the way

Washington,DC,USA -U.S. News & World Report, by Marianne Lavelle -March 26, 2008: -- ... Con-Way Freight, one of the nation's largest trucking firms with 8,500 rigs, has announced it is turning back the electronic speed limiters in its entire fleet from 65 miles per hour to 62 mph... Con-Way will be saving $12.8 million per year, a significant figure for a company that saw its operating income drop 27 percent last year to $235 million... Now that fuel for the first time has surpassed labor as the most significant cost for many trucking companies, it's not surprising that they are taking steps to save. But here's the tricky part... They want all of us to do the same... The American Trucking Associations is calling for a nationwide 65-mph speed limit—not only to save fuel but as a matter of safety... In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is opposing a move for a 65-mph speed limit, disputing the greenhouse gas and safety impact... Asked Clayton Boyce, spokesman for ATA, about the competitive issues at play, he said, "Some independent owner-operators want to drive faster so they can make more miles in a day and earn more money. The large companies understand that they'll save money on insurance, engine wear, maintenance problems, and fuel that make up that difference in distance per day."... (Photo)