Basics of the OTA Proposal:

Q: What is a speed limiter?

A: A speed limiter is a built-in electronic microchip that allows an engine’s top speed to be preset.

Q: What is OTA’s policy on the activation of speed limiters?

A: It should be a mandatory requirement under the Highway Traffic Act that speed limiters be activated on all prescribed trucks operating into, out of, and within the Province of Ontario at the prescribed maximum speed within 12 months of proclamation.

Q: What is the maximum speed OTA believes truck speed limiters should be set at?

A: Speed limiters for trucks should be set at NO MORE THAN 105 KPH (65 mph).

Q: If this makes so much sense, why does the trucking industry need the government to make it a law?

A: All laws are put in place to control the behaviour of the minority who, for whatever reason, refuse to act in a responsible manner. The same is true for this law -- despite the economic benefits of reducing fuel consumption and costs, not to mention the obvious safety and environmental benefits, a minority of trucks continue to speed and this law is required to slow them down.

Q: Who came up with the idea for mandatory speed limiters?

A: A Blue Ribbon Task Force of OTA member carriers worked to develop the policy and to act as a sounding board while research was being conducted into the issue. The Blue Ribbon Task Force on Speed Limiters consists of 13 CEOs and senior executives of leading truck fleets. In addition, the entire OTA carrier membership was extensively consulted throughout the research phase of the policy. A survey of the membership indicates that 92% of OTA member carriers support the direction the association is taking. The OTA Board of Directors unanimously supported the policy at its September 2005 meeting. The policy was ratified at the 2005 Annual General Meeting of the association.

Q: Why is OTA calling for a maximum speed that is somewhat higher than the allowable maximum speed limit on the 400 series of highways?

A: The law pertaining to the maximum allowable speed limit will not change. OTA is proposing that speed limiters be set at NO MORE THAN 105 kph because: (1) the reality is that at a max. of 105 kph the cruise speed for most trucks will be set at no more than 100 kph, but a cushion of up to 5 kph will be allowed on the “pedal” speed to enable trucks to pass slower moving vehicles (avoiding long periods where trucks operate side-by-side called “elephant races”) and to make other precautionary manoeuvres as required. OTA has attempted to find the right balance between the effective speed on our highways (which we all understand is more like 120 kph) and a responsible speed cap for trucks. Also, because the trucking industry crosses borders it must be kept in mind there are many jurisdictions which have speed limits in excess of 100 kph. A 105 kph cap will enable Ontario trucks to operate and compete in those jurisdictions with higher speed limits. Several maximum governed speeds were reviewed before choosing 105 kph. Extensive consultation was conducted with many stakeholder groups including: truck drivers, truck fleet owners, road safety experts, law enforcement, engine and truck manufacturers, and the insurance industry.

Safety

Q: Have any safety groups come out in support of the OTA proposal?

A: Yes. OTA has received endorsement for its policy from groups like the Canadian Automobile Association, the Canada Safety Council, the Traffic Injury Research Foundation, RoadWatch, SMARTRISK and the Transportation Health & Safety Association

Q: How big an issue are speeding trucks?

A: Trucks are the least likely vehicles to be speeding on Ontario highways. In fact, the safety performance of trucks and truck drivers is superior to that of cars and motorists. And, while truck safety in the province has been improving, the Ontario Trucking Association wants to make it even better. Prevention is the best way to avoid collisions happening at all. Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely around curves or objects in the roadway, extends the distance necessary to stop a vehicle and increases the distance that a vehicle travels while the driver reacts to a dangerous situation. US research shows that the speed of trucks plays a role in the severity of accidents and the incidence of fatalities in accidents involving large trucks. Because kinetic energy is determined by the square of a vehicle’s speed, the probability of injury, and the severity of injuries that occur in a crash, increase exponentially with vehicle speed. For example, the kinetic energy at 120 kph is 30% greater than at 105 kph.

Q: Won’t the introduction of speed limiters at no more than 105 kph lead to an increase in car-truck rear-end collisions?

A: The major concern of motorists is the possibility that a truck will rear-end them. Evidence from the US indicates that in states where there is a differential speed limit there are about 36% fewer truck-to-car rear-end collisions and 29% fewer side swipe collisions (as compared to states where there is a uniform speed limit). Evidence also suggests that rear-end collisions appear more prevalent (39% of all collisions involving trucks) where the truck was speeding, than when cars were speeding (34% of collisions involving cars). For cars traveling at 120 or 125 kph there is no appreciable increase in the risk of rear-end collisions. For excessive speeders there may be an increased risk, but the reality is that at 130 or 140 kph (or higher) almost everything poses an increased risk for speeding drivers. They are at increased risk of rear-end collision with a truck traveling up to 105 kph just as they are at increased risk of losing control, of hitting another car, or of being unable to react to any other circumstance on the road. The fact is, speed kills, whether you are a truck driver or car driver, and the problem is not the truck doing up to 105 kph, it is the reckless car driver driving at excessive speed. Furthermore, whatever increased risk of rear-end collisions may occur is more than offset by the reduction in both frequency and severity of other kinds of collisions involving cars and trucks that are currently caused by speeding. Just as there were those who opposed mandatory seat belt use based on the argument that seat belt use increases your risk of being trapped in a burning car or a car which fell into water if the seat belt jams, the minimal risk of such incidents, like rear-end collisions, is more than offset by the overall safety gains.

Fuel Efficiency/Environmental Issues

Q: What are the forecast reductions in fuel consumption that are likely to occur? What does this equal in dollars?

A: Tests have shown that a 4-to-5 kph speed decrease could result in a 4-to-5% savings in fuel costs. Fuel savings of as much as 10,500 litres of diesel fuel consumed per year by a typical tractor-trailer unit which formerly had no speed limiter are forecast. It is estimated that this could translate into 50 million litres of fuel saved in total. At current diesel prices, this would equal an annual savings of about $8,400 per truck.

Q: What are the Greenhouse Gas reductions that are possible from limiting truck speeds?

A: It is estimated that with a mandatory speed limit of 105 kph, trucks operating in Ontario would see a reduction of as much as 140 kilotonnes of GHG emissions per year.

Q: Do any environmental groups support the OTA proposal?

A: Yes. Pollution Probe endorses the OTA proposal.

Other Motorists

Q: Does the general public think speed limiters are a good idea?

A: OTA engaged an independent third party public affairs firm to conduct an opinion poll of Ontario residents to determine their current perception of a variety of road safety issues related to trucking. From the poll, OTA learned that the majority of the public believe that truck drivers do speed and the majority said they thought mandatory speed limiters were a good idea.

Q: Where does the CAA stand on the OTA proposal?

A: The Canadian Automobile Association has endorsed the OTA proposal.

Q: What about the worst speeders, the four-wheelers?

A: OTA supports new measures to reduce speeding by cars and better educate car drivers on how to safely share the road with trucks. Just as with commercial vehicles, the key to improving the safety of our highways is increased enforcement of the laws and better training, testing and licencing of drivers.

Truck Driver Issues

Q: Were “real” truckers consulted about this policy?

A: In developing this policy recommendation OTA consulted with carriers, drivers, owner-operators, truck and engine manufacturers, insurance companies, law enforcement agencies, safety associations and other stakeholders. In addition to inviting comment on OTA’s web site, an independent third party public affairs company was engaged to conduct: (1) roadside surveys with truck drivers; and (2) focus groups with truck drivers. In both cases, a mix of company drivers and owner-operators were interviewed.

Q: Would speed limiters governed to a maximum speed of 105 kph affect a truck driver’s pay?

A: No. Many carriers already govern their fleets at or below 105 kph and their drivers are paid no differently than those that don’t. Most truck drivers are already driving at a maximum speed close to 105 kph. It is not reasonable to suggest that in order to make money a driver has to operate at excessive or unsafe speeds. A driver’s take home pay will not be impacted by mandating a maximum travel speed of 105 kph.

Q: Would speed limiters governed to a maximum speed of no more than 105 kph affect what owner-operators earn?

A: No. Owner-operators who understand the fuel efficiency implications already drive at a maximum speed close 105 kph. It is not reasonable to suggest that in order to make money an owner-operator has to operate at excessive or unsafe speeds. The reality is, owner-operators who speed are reducing their profits by increasing their fuel costs.

Q: Would mandating a maximum speed of no more than 105 kph have an effect on driver alertness or fatigue?

A: Removing the pressure to speed from a driver’s daily routine will actually reduce overall the stress levels which contribute to fatigue.

Q: Shouldn’t the training of new truck drivers be a consideration?

A: All new truck drivers should receive training with regard to the benefits of enhanced speed control and lane discipline.

Q: Would it take truckers longer to arrive at their destinations?

A: The effect on trip times will be marginal and manageable. Some fleets will experience no change as they already govern their trucks at a speed at or even below 105 kph. Trucks that move to a 105 kph maximum travel speed from a previous maximum of 110 kph can expect a minor impact on trip time, and those trucks that are not limited can expect more of an impact. Some carriers, drivers and shippers will need to better manage their delivery schedules, but this is a good thing.

Starting Point
Trip Ends Estimated increase in time
If maximum speed reduced to 105kph from 110kph
Toronto Windsor 10 minutes
Toronto Montreal 15 minutes
Toronto Chicago 20 minutes
Toronto Halifax 45 minutes
Toronto Vancouver 2 hours

Application

Q: What trucks would the law apply to?

A: The law would be applicable to both straight trucks and tractor-trailer combinations built after 1995 with a manufacturer’s rating or a registered GVW >11,000 kg.

Q: Would new trucks be treated differently than existing trucks?

A: All prescribed vehicles manufactured after 1995 would have to comply by having speed limiters activated or reset to no more than 105 kph. All new trucks would come from the manufacturer with the speed limiters set at no more than 105 kph.

Q: Who would be able to set/adjust the maximum speed limit settings?

A: Dealers, repair shops and carriers would have the ability to adjust the maximum speed limit setting on a truck so long as it is no more than 105 kph but it would be a legal requirement for engine manufacturers to “hard code” the maximum speed setting on all trucks so that no person would be able to set an upper limit on speed that exceeds 105 kph.

Q: What about the non-400 series highways?

A: Unfortunately it is not technologically practical at this time to have the engine set with a variety of speeds which would kick in depending on what road the truck is on. This technology, like all technologies, is not a panacea and it has its practical limits. We can therefore only deal with the highest speed limit highways, the 400 series highways. Normal police enforcement will have to be relied upon on other roads.

Q: What about out-of-province trucks?

A: North American jurisdictions already have a variety of laws governing the operation of commercial vehicles and truck drivers are expected to comply with the laws of the jurisdiction in which they are driving. For example, any Canadian truck driver who drives in the US is required to follow US law on drug testing, even though no similar law exists in Canada. We must follow their laws in their jurisdiction; and they must follow our laws in our jurisdiction. In the long term we hope that all North American jurisdictions will follow Ontario’s lead and institute similar laws.

Enforcement

Q: How would the law be enforced?

A: It would be an offence for the prescribed trucks to have a speed limiter set above 105 kph. Penalties for non-compliance would include fines, suspensions and revocation of repair shop licences. These penalties would be imposed on the person or persons who tamper with and either de-activate or set at a maximum speed above 105 kph. Engine manufacturers would be compelled to provide the information to enforcement officials in order to make this determination, regardless of where the tampering occurred. A finding that a speed limiter on a truck has been tampered with could be made by enforcement officers equipped with hand-held PDAs that allow them to read where the speed limiter on a truck is set from the engine’s ECM, while blocking the downloading of other information.

Q: Wouldn’t the police still have a role?

A: On-road speed enforcement by police officers would still be required to ensure compliance: (1) on roads and highways where the maximum posted speed is less than 100 kph; (2) on highways where the maximum posted speed is 100 kph or more, but a truck is still for whatever reason operating at excessive speed; and (3) with speed limits by cars. In (1) and (2) the driver should be charged and the violation should appear exclusively on the driver’s abstract. Since there will be fewer speeding trucks as a result of the mandatory activation of speed limiters, any truck exceeding the maximum prescribed speed limit should clearly stand out, and it will therefore be expected that on-highway police agencies will enforce the law in those remaining situations. Similarly, it is further anticipated that lane discipline by trucks will improve as a by-product of the mandatory activation of speed limiters, again increasing the expectation that police services will be better able to deal with the remaining transgressions of the laws pertaining to lane discipline.

Q: Isn’t the real answer stepped up on-highway enforcement?

A: This IS stepped up on-highway enforcement -- it is using the technology that exists in today’s trucks to assist the police in controlling speeding. We have to stop thinking of increased enforcement as only “more cops.” The reality is that the OPP and other police forces do the best they can, but there are too many kilometers of highway and there will always be too few police. By mandating this modern technology we help the police do their jobs more efficiently and allow them to focus on other problems.

Equipment/Operational Issues

Q: Would activating a speed limiter cost anything in terms of changing other specs/equipment?

A: No. Setting a maximum speed for a truck is a relatively simple programming change that can be performed in a matter of minutes at minimal cost. In many ways it is no more complicated that changing the password on your PC.

Q: Would speed limited trucks increase traffic congestion in urban areas?

A: No. Traffic congestion is the result of traffic volume -- not vehicle speed.

Q: Can speed limiters be tampered with?

A: Any technology can be tampered with. Speed limiters can be tampered with, but it would be very hard to get away with. OTA’s policy includes an enforcement and compliance strategy. If every other truck is staying at or under 105 kph a cheater is going to be pretty obvious speeding past the other trucks. That’s why speeders should be easy for the police to spot and deal with. Plus, MTO on-road inspectors can very easily check if a vehicle has been properly governed using a hand-held PDA.

Q: If I increase my speed by using the engine to accelerate before climbing a hill can I save fuel by not downshifting to lower gears?

A: Well, that may seem to be the case but tests have shown that the amount of fuel used to increase the speed equals or exceeds the amount of fuel lost by downshifting. Fuel is not saved by “getting a run at a hill” unless the increase in speed is achieved by running downhill.

Q: If a truck is spec’d to run at a higher speed and the maximum speed setting is decreased to no more than 105 kph will it put the engine in an inefficient rpm range and increase fuel consumption?

A: This is almost never the case. Most trucks are spec’d to run efficiently in the 105 kph speed range. Trucks that are not speed limited almost always run with the engine operating above optimum rpm for fuel economy.

Q: What about when a truck is running downhill?

A: Speed limiters do not limit the speed of a truck going downhill at the present time. However, the truck may have gear engine brakes that are programmed to activate at certain speeds to limit road speed.

Q: How would this speed restriction policy affect my ability to operate in hilly/mountainous terrain?

A: There should be no effect, since the truck will be operated in lower gears anyway.

Q: Would the policy affect startability or gradeability of my truck?

A: Neither startability nor gradeability is affected.