I would like to bring forward a few points I feel the Ontario Trucking Association should be better aware of in regards to speed limiting.

First of all let me say I’m not a speeding lunatic or someone that has to do it to make my business survive. But I feel there may be some safety factors with speed limiting. Maybe I’m wrong, but let me tell you how I think it will not be a good idea.

One scenario: two trucks running together, governed to the same speed. The one in the lead running not as fast as the other for one reason or another (some fleets governed at 90-95 km/h or weight differences). The second one doesn’t want to pass to speed at over 100km/h, let’s just say he can maintain the speed limit and the lead truck keeps slowing. They get to a passing lane, now the second truck can’t get a temporary run of speed and there they are, running side by side, plugging up traffic because the second couldn’t get any momentum to complete the pass quickly. Now everyone gets road raged and starts taking stupid chances.

I hope you understand what I’m trying to say. There’s those situations where you need to get by another vehicle (not so you can speed like an idiot) but it would be a lot safer to have the ability to speed for a moment to overtake quickly and safely.

I also feel if they are going to speed govern trucks they should mandate it for cars also. Would it not be safer if all vehicles on the road were only capable of going the same speed? I hope someone can bring these thoughts to attention before the laws are passed. If they do it for every vehicle on the road, I’d be okay with that, but if it get’s passed for trucks only, I’ve already told my wife I am going to sell the business and get away from trucking. Then the government can pay to retrain me for another career.

Shawn Marcil

Shawn G. Marcil Trucking