OOIDA Call to Action - Illinois members
March 3, 2008

Attention: Illinois truckers! Two bills in the Illinois House would reduce and eliminate the speed gap between trucks and other vehicles on rural, interstate highways. It is imperative that you take time now to contact members of the House Drivers Education and Safety Committee about these bills. The committee is scheduled to discuss them Wednesday, March 5.

After years of failed attempts to have Gov. Rod Blagojevich sign legislation into law to change the rule that requires large vehicles to travel 10 mph below the 65 mph speed limit for other vehicles, two House lawmakers offered legislation they are hopeful will get the governor’s approval.

The first bill – HB4263 – would allow vehicles weighing more than 8,000 pounds to travel 60 mph on rural interstates. The second bill – HB4561 – would raise the speed limit to 65 mph on highways outside Chicago and surrounding counties.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is encouraging truckers, their families and friends to contact members of the House Drivers Education and Safety Committee to communicate the importance of eliminating speed differentials.

They need to know that by having vehicles travel at the same speed, the need for passing, lane changes, tailgating, and other maneuvers that create opportunities for drivers to make mistakes is minimized. This isn’t physics or rocket science. It’s simple common sense that highway engineers have known and followed for decades.

For committee members’ contact information, click here. Simply click on a lawmakers name for their phone number and fax number.

You can also call the OOIDA Membership Department at 1-800-444-5791 and they will look up the contact information for you.