# Plain Language Summary: The DRIVE Act

This bill stops the federal government from requiring large trucks to have speed limiters installed on their vehicles. Speed limiters are devices that prevent a truck from going faster than a certain speed—think of it like a governor that caps how fast the engine can go. The bill specifically applies to big rigs and heavy trucks (those weighing more than 26,000 pounds) that travel across state lines.

The backstory here is that in 2022, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration was considering making a rule that would require all these large trucks to have speed limiters, likely set to something like 60 or 65 miles per hour. The DRIVE Act blocks that from ever happening. Supporters of the bill argue that speed limiters could actually make highways less safe by forcing large trucks to go significantly slower than regular traffic, potentially creating dangerous speed differences between vehicles. Opponents counter that speed limiters could reduce accidents and save lives by preventing trucks from going too fast.

For everyday people, this mainly affects truck drivers and trucking companies—they won't be forced to install this technology. Consumers might see this as either good or bad depending on your perspective: some believe it keeps truck traffic flowing more smoothly on highways, while others worry it could lead to more accidents involving large trucks. Either way, if you drive on interstate highways, the trucks sharing the road with you won't be limited to a maximum speed by federal requirement.

DRIVE Act

Brecheen, Josh

Deregulating Restrictions on Interstate Vehicles and Eighteen-wheelers Act or the DRIVE ActThis bill prohibits the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) from issuing any rule or regulation to require vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight of more than 26,000 pounds and are operating in interstate commerce to be equipped with a speed limiting device set to a maximum speed. The FMCSA issued an advance notice of supplemental proposed rulemaking on this subject on May 4, 2022.