Trucking Industry Vigorously Opposes Houston Split Speed Limit Scheme

AUSTIN, Texas, June 6 -- The Texas Motor Transportation Association today is broadly criticizing a proposal by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission to postpone the 55-mph speed limit for cars and lights trucks in Houston while maintaining the lower speed limit for commercial trucks.

"It is shameful that the politics of clean air have taken precedence over highway safety," said TMTA President Bill Webb. "Trucks traveling a minimum of 15 mph slower than cars on Houston-area roadways is a recipe for disaster and our regulators should know better than to propose a measure to supposedly save lives by cleaning the air while actually potentially causing the loss of life."

Webb says the association does not support any increase in speed limits for trucks. However, it does strongly oppose any measure that provides for a differential in speed limits between cars and trucks.

The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that crash involvement rates are almost six times greater for vehicles traveling 10 mph below or above the average speed limit. The findings of the 1994 report also show that the proportion of car-truck, rear-end collisions was 26 percent greater when compared to uniform speed limit states, and collisions were more likely to involve cars striking trucks.

"The research clearly shows these differential speeds are unsafe," Webb said. "The numbers are proof positive.

"Just imagine a car approaching a truck from the rear at 65 or 70 or even 75 miles per hour and that truck is going 15 or 20 miles per hour slower," Webb continued. "There is no way that is safe and no way it makes any common sense. We're not out lobbying for higher speeds for trucks. We're calling for the same speeds for all vehicles."

That's exactly what the Texas Legislature did in 1999 when it eliminated split speed limits on Texas Highways.

"The Legislature saw the evidence and took the appropriate action to eliminate the very dangerous habit of establishing split speed limits," Webb said. "And now, TNRCC says it knows better."

Webb says that today's trucks are running cleaner than ever and that requirements for diesel engines and fuels will actually mean large trucks will be burning cleaner than cars in the future.

"The truth is that new trucks are more environmentally-friendly than ever," he said. "When you couple that with new cleaner burning engine requirements taking effect later this year and upcoming requirements for cleaner diesel, our industry is already addressing the emissions issue."

TMTA is an Austin-based statewide trade association representing the more than 36,000 trucking companies and commercial vehicle operators in Texas.