Truck Safety Coalition Sends Letter to Secretary Buttigieg:
An Urgent Plea for Action Now

Truck Safety Coalition Calls on Secretary Buttigieg to Address Delayed Truck Safety Rules

On July 15, 2024, the Truck Safety Coalition (TSC) wrote a letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. The TSC is worried about delays in important truck safety rules. They represent families who have lost loved ones in truck crashes and are asking for urgent action.

Heavy Vehicle Speed Limiter Rule

The TSC is concerned about the Heavy Vehicle Speed Limiter rule. This rule was supposed to start in mid-2023 but has now been delayed to May 2025. Speed limiters can help reduce fatal truck crashes. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) says that twenty percent of deadly truck crashes happen at speeds over 70 mph. Trucks with speed limiters have half as many high-speed crashes as those without them.

The TSC is frustrated by the delays. They worry that future administrations could cancel this rule. Without it, many truck crash deaths could be prevented.

Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) Rule

The TSC also addressed delays in the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) rule. This rule should have been final by June 2024 but is now delayed until May 2025. AEB technology can greatly reduce truck crash deaths and injuries by applying brakes automatically to all commercial motor vehicles.

The TSC is disappointed that the DOT has not met its commitments. They stress the need to finalize this rule to prevent changes by future administrations that could weaken it.

New Entrant Proficiency Exam

The TSC is also worried about the lack of a New Entrant Proficiency Exam for new carriers. This exam, required by Congress, is over ten years late. New carriers have higher crash rates, including deadly ones. The FMCSA has promised to develop a training and testing program to improve safety for new entrants.

The TSC shared a recent incident involving a new carrier that caused a deadly crash just eight days after being reinstated despite a history of violations. This carrier had not checked the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, showing gaps in FMCSA’s oversight.

Systemic Issues and Accountability

The TSC criticized FMCSA’s enforcement practices. A 2023 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that FMCSA staff did not review safety complaints to see if there were major safety violations. The TSC argues that FMCSA is not using existing systems to ensure truck safety.

The TSC says that since the National Roadway Safety Strategy started, deaths involving large trucks have increased. They accuse the DOT of not acting quickly enough to save lives, with repeated delays weakening the effectiveness of safety rules.

Looking Ahead

The TSC urged Secretary Buttigieg to use all necessary resources to complete the Large Truck AEB and Speed Limiter Rulemakings without more delays. They also called for the fast-tracking of the New Carrier Proficiency Exam rulemaking. They emphasize that more lives will be lost, and families destroyed by further delays.

The letter ended with a plea for Secretary Buttigieg to fulfill his mission to reduce crashes, injuries, and deaths involving large trucks and buses through decisive and timely action.

The letter was signed by Tami Friedrich Trakh, President of the Truck Safety Coalition, and various board members from Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways (CRASH) and Parents Against Tired Truckers (P.A.T.T.). These individuals have personally experienced the devastating impacts of truck crashes and stress the urgency of implementing these critical safety measures to prevent future tragedies.