Heads up, Indiana truckers! A hearing is scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 2, to discuss one of three bills in the Indiana General Assembly that need your attention.

SB217, up for discussion by members of the Senate Commerce and Transportation Committee Feb. 2, would raise the speed limit on rural interstates from 60 mph to 65 mph for large trucks and from 65 mph to 70 mph for all other vehicles.

[UPDATE: On Feb. 2, Senate Commerce and Transportation Committee approved the bill -- SB217. The committee vote was 6-2. It now moves to the full Senate for consideration.]

HB1393 would authorize the higher speeds along the Indiana Toll Road.

[UPDATE: On Feb. 7, House Roads and Transportation Committee approved the bill -- HB1393. The committee vote was 6-4. It now moves to the full House for consideration.]

As you can tell, neither bill eliminates the state’s split speed provision.

Another bill – HB1372 – would restrict all vehicles from the far left lane on multilane highways.

It would also require large trucks, which currently are able to drive in the right-most lanes on highways with three or more lanes in the state, to travel only in the far right lane. Trucks already are restricted to the far right lane on two-lane highways in the state.

Under HB1372, any vehicle other than a large truck would be able to use the far left lane only to pass or overtake a slower moving vehicle. Motorists would be required to complete the maneuver within one mile.

All three bills are before their respective transportation committees.

The public hearing to discuss SB217 is at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 2, in Room 125 of the Statehouse. It is open to the public. For a map of the Statehouse, visit www.in.gov/legislative/about/where.html. Click on “First Floor” to see where Room 125 is located.

If you are unable to make the committee meeting, make sure you contact members of the House and Senate transportation panels anyway. Let them know the importance of uniform speeds and what passing and lane restrictions mean to road safety.

Click here to view the letter OOIDA sent Feb. 2 to members of the Senate Commerce and Transportation Committee on the matter.

Committee members to contact:

Rep. Cleo Duncan, House Chair
Rep. Bill Davis, House Vice Chair
Rep. Jim Buck
Rep. Eric Gutwein
Rep. Tom Saunders
Rep. Marlin Stutzman
Rep. Dave Wolkins
Sen. Greg Server, Senate Chair
Sen. Rose Antich-Carr
Sen. Allie Craycraft
Sen. Vic Heinold
Sen. Glenn Howard
Sen. Bob Jackman
Sen. Tim Lanane
Sen. Sue Landske
Sen. Jim Merritt
Sen. Johnny Nugent
Sen. Tom Weatherwax

For contact information, visit www.in.gov/apps/sos/legislator/search/list.jsp. Scroll down to the third paragraph from the bottom of the page and click the link following “Indiana elected legislators.” Follow the remaining steps. You can also call OOIDA’s Membership Department at 1-800-444-5791 and they’ll look it up.