Dive Brief:
- More than 84% of truck carriers surveyed by the American Transport Research Institute use speed limiters to increase fuel economy, Overdrive reported Monday.
- The study surveyed 96 fleets of mixed size to determine the industry's willingness to adopt fuel saving devices, and found small fleets are more averse to any fuel saving technology, not just speed limiters.
- Meanwhile, heavy-duty truck fleets are more likely to use aluminum wheels, automated-manual transmissions and low-rolling resistance dual tires to save fuel, Overdrive reports.
Dive Insight:
Proponents of speed limiters will see an evident divide in this study: although most carriers oppose the FMCSA's proposed speed limiter mandate on the basis that it is too slow, larger fleets are more willing to accept a version of the rule while small carriers outright reject the concept.
In fact, as the study shows, many carriers already use speed limiters within their fleets in order to reduce operating costs. Speed limiters, they argue, offer tremendous savings in fuel but also make highway driving more safe given the reduced speed and potential force exerted during an accident.
Despite the environmental and safety benefits, however, the government has faced avid opposition to the rule. So much, in fact, over 4,000 truckers submitted mostly negative comments to the Department of Transportation.
