Digging slightly into my bag from a couple of posts ago, I ran across the picture I had posted of a speedometer with a red “55” on it.  I began to ponder the origins and effects of this federally mandated requirement of the past that has been abolished by most states in both automobile and commercial truck laws of today?  Being that I operate in one of the few remaining states that require commercial trucks to travel at no more than 55mph, I began to also think about its effect on things such as safety and fuel economy. 
 
In the wake of the 1973 oil crisis, The National Maximum Speed Limit Law (NMSL) was passed, limiting the maximum speed of all vehicles to 55 miles per hour, or the old “Double Nickel”.  This law was thought to have a reduction in the overall consumption of oil as a result of vehicles burning more fuel at higher rates of speed.  Although it was a nationally recognized law, it was disregarded by most drivers and highly criticized by the motoring public and even by some states.  Congress had hoped this would save a national average of nearly 2%, but actual savings are only estimated to have been between .5%-1%.  This law did not change until the late 1980’s, when the limit was raised to 65 miles per hour.  It continued this way until congress repealed all federal control over speed limits in 1995, returning speed control and enforcement to the individual states.
 
With maximum allowed speeds having now been raised by the majority of the states for automobiles, there is a great amount of debate from a lot of safety groups about the impact of split speed limits for commercial trucks.  For example, a car in California being allowed to travel at 70mph, while the truck must travel at no more than 55mph regardless of road condition, traffic congestion, or weather factors.  A great amount of research has been done on this very topic, proving in a lot of cases that these faster moving vehicles pose a great threat to the safety of the trucker when not traveling at similar rates of speed.  As a trucker, I see fast moving vehicles merging all the time onto freeways where 55mph trucks are “married” to the right lane (usually by law as well) and end up getting hit because they are moving too slow for the automobile when they attain highway speeds.
 
Taking both safety and law into consideration, it is a delicate balance of needing to be somewhere on-time and wanting to save fuel that should be the deciding factor in how fast you need to go.  Of course I insist on staying within your state(s) maximum set truck speed to conduct your business, as doing otherwise will ultimately cost you in fines and harm to your CSA score.  Being in a strict 55mph state, it’s not as if I have any other choice but to hum along doing the old “Double Nickel” dance!  For those of you in a state with higher limits, remember that it has been proven that you are not going to increase MPG by trying to outrun the wind.  Be “Fuel Smart” and if you have the time to get there at a lower rate of speed, do so!  It will only benefit you in the long run and help to increase the money going right back into your pocket.  If you make so much money that you don’t care about the fuel savings, let me know and I’ll be more than happy to take a little off your hands!

Comments (7)

Jimmy Nevarez

Jimmy Nevarez is the Owner/President of Angus Transportation, Inc., based in Chino, California.  Jimmy pulls a 53' dry van hauling general dry freight for his own small fleet, operating on its own authority throughout all of Southern California and Southern Nevada.

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Jimmy,

I like the saying about accidents. It's another one for my mental book, thanks! Some things have to be learned the hard way but most things can be learned from more seasoned people if we just take the time to listen and pay attention.

For example, I learned from one of Henry's posts a year or so ago that if you slow down to an idle while on customers property then you lessen the likely hood of getting flat tires in your second set of duals from nails than may be on the ground. Going slower gives the nail time to lay back down after the first dual kicks it up.

I'm not saying you are old Henry, just more seasoned!

October 11, 2013 7:50:36 AM

I usually try to maintain 57-59 mph. About the only time that I run faster is when a load calls for it due to time constraints. And Linda, I completely agree with you on the stress levels. It is so nice not having to worry about switching lanes all the time because I am going so much slower than most of the other vehicles out there.

October 11, 2013 7:31:03 AM

It's been a long time since I had heard that saying Craig! I learned it from my marching band instructor in high school, may he rest in peace! He taught me a lot of lessons in life and one big poster he had on the wall in the band room read "Early is on time, On time is late, and late is VERY VERY BAD!!!" I also learned this method of going slightly slower than the traffic flow from an old timer I encountered very early in my career. Over those couple cups of coffee we had at that hole-in-the-wall coffee shop in Idaho we both happened to stop at, he told me that "accidents don't typically happen when the world is passing you by, they happen when you are struggling to keep up!"

October 10, 2013 21:36:56 PM

62-63 here-The worst split for me was MI when it was 55/70. Cars would get so angry when they were forced to slow down when 1 truck passed another.

October 10, 2013 14:21:16 PM

Us Oregonians also have a 55 mph truck limit while passenger vehicles can drive 65 mph. I agree with Linda, not traveling the higher speed takes a lot of stress away because you aren't keeping up with the pack and dealing with all those crazy drivers. "Lagging behind" if you will, lets the crazy 4-wheelers move on out of your way leaving us to motor down the freeway with a little less congestion. I don't have the E-coast feature so I don't get a fuel benefit in that regard, but less stress is a great benefit.

As for driving faster because you are late I say: you should have left earlier. One saying that I have told my kids when they started driving and working: If you are early then you are on time, if you are on time then you are late.

One stop by a law enforcement officer will likely put you further behind in time than just driving the speed limit from the beginning, not counting the fines and decreased CSA scores.

October 10, 2013 13:49:21 PM

I normally cruise at 62 to 63 mph where I can. However with the E coast feature on the DT 12 transmission I spend a lot of time well above my cruise setting. The slower I set my cruise the more time I spend in E coast mode and the more fuel I save! So with E coast I only power the truck to my cruise speed and anything above that has the truck coasting at idle. Typically this leads to 19% of the time being in E coast mode.

October 10, 2013 6:28:38 AM

Our normal cruising speed and most of our loads allow this speed is 58 mph. Over time I have found that is rolling hills that kicking it up a little seems to help our fuel mileage since we have added our ATDynamics Trailer Tail. There is also another benefit that i have found driving a little slower or at times much slower then the normal stream of traffic is how much more relaxed I am at the end of the day. I no longer drive constantly looking in my mirrors to see anyone is coming so I can pass the vehicle in front of me. It is like a am rock in the stream and I watch out my window and many of the same vehicles pass me over and over throughout the day.

October 10, 2013 4:08:45 AM