Big trucks could drive 75 on Idaho's freeways, just like cars, under legislation introduced in the Senate Transportation Committee today at the behest of its chairman, Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Coeur d'Alene; Idaho's current truck speed limit on freeways is 65 mph. "The intent of this legislation, should it move forward, is to enhance safety by having all vehicles on the highway drive the same speed limit, thus eliminating a lot of lane changes that currently are necessary because of the differentiation in speed limits," Hammond told the committee. His bill would declare that the speed limit for big trucks would be the same as that for "other motor vehicles," not only on freeways but also in town and on state highways.

Sen. Tim Corder, R-Mountain Home, who owns a trucking company, said there were unsuccessful proposals in the past to move all vehicles to a 70 mph speed limit on the freeways, and to move them all to 75. "Probably the thing you need to consider is that there are a growing number of those trucks that will not do 75," Corder warned. "They're much more sophisticated than cars; they're limited by their computers and they're controlled so they can't exceed that speed because of our neighboring states that don't allow it." Trucking companies, he said, "have done extensive studies," and determined that their best fuel consumption is around 62 to 63 mph, "and that produces the least wear on tires."

Rep. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, offered a similar bill with an emergency clause. "It does have an emergency clause because this is a public safety issue," he said, "and instead of waiting until July 1st to implement this, it would seem logical because it's public safety that we'd want to implement it as quickly as we could." However, the panel opted to introduce Hammond's version instead; it'll return later for a full committee hearing. Senators on the committee said they hope to hear from experts, including ITD and the Idaho State Police, about the safety issues involved, and about how big trucks have fared under the current 65 mph speed limit as far as tickets and accidents.

Corder voted for introducing the bill, but warned he'll have questions at the hearing. "You are correct, certainly, in that the interactions between slow and more rapidly moving vehicles has always been the issue - not even the speed, it's just been the interactions." But by setting a truck speed limit that most trucks can't or won't drive, he said, "You won't be able to do what you want to do."