(Washington, DC) — The Trump administration is halting an Obama-era proposal that would have created a national speed limit for 18-wheelers. The plan has been in the works since 2016, when federal regulators said limiting trucks to 65 miles per hour could save hundreds of lives annually, and save truckers over 800-million dollars in fuel and emissions costs. Regulators under the Trump administration, however, claim the proposal would raise trucking costs and could make matters worse by stalling traffic and slowing deliveries. They say it would also result in more trucks being needed to ship the same amount of cargo in a given period.
“The old ways of doing things in Washington are over. After nearly 20 years, big trucking’s proposed speed limiter mandate is dead,” according to Lewie Pugh, Executive Vice President, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. “This failed proposal represented the worst of Washington and the worst of trucking: big corporations trying to use big government to undercut small businesses and increase corporate profits. Not only would this proposal have harmed working class Americans – small business truckers in our communities – it would have made our highways less safe for all motorists. We thank Secretary Duffy and the Trump Administration for listening to truckers by prioritizing safety, small businesses, and common sense.”
You can view the Notice of Withdrawal in the Federal Register and watch a video from OOIDA regarding this week’s news below:
RIP Speed Limiters
Thank you to @SecDuffy and @realDonaldTrump for listening to truckers!
Sound on pic.twitter.com/anAf4NC7Ro
— Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (@OOIDA) July 23, 2025
You can also learn more from OOIDA here: https://fightingfortruckers.com/policies/stop-speed-limiter-mandates/
