OOIDA Call to Action - Michigan Members
September 22, 2005

Heads up: Michigan truckers! A bill that would reduce the speed gap between cars and large trucks traveling highways in the state from 15 mph to 10 mph is headed to the full House for a vote.

Thanks in part to your earlier efforts, HB5104 passed out of the House Committee on Transportation Tuesday, Sept. 20, by a 13-1 vote. It is time to contact your state representative and make sure they too are on board to minimize the speed differential.

Sponsored by Rep. Bruce Caswell, R-Hillsdale, the bill would allow vehicles with a gross weight of 10,000 pounds or more to travel up to 60 mph. They are now limited to 55 mph. Other vehicles could continue to drive at the current 70 mph limit.

Todd Spencer, executive vice president for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, said that while he is encouraged to see that legislation to address safety problems resulting from a large speed gap move forward, lawmakers are missing a greater opportunity to do away with split speeds.

"One of the main reasons highway safety has improved even as states nationwide increase speed limits is because higher speed limits tend to eliminate or minimize speed variances that are often key contributors to accidents," Spencer said. "It makes sense now for lawmakers to use this legislation as an opportunity to once and for all establish uniform speed limits."

Spencer says it is important that Michigan truckers contact their House lawmakers, and let them know the importance of uniform speeds to road safety.

For contact information, visit www.house.mi.gov/find_a_rep.asp and follow the prompts. You can also call OOIDA's Membership Department at 1-800-444-5791 and they'll look up the contact information for you.