DOT changes gears on proposed speed limiter mandate

The possibility of a federal speed limiter mandate on some commercial motor vehicles has just been halted.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has officially canceled a proposed rulemaking effort that would have required speed limiting devices on each new multipurpose passenger vehicle, truck, bus, and school bus with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of more than 26,000 pounds.

According to a DOT notice, the change in direction was due to:

• A lack of data to illustrate safety and economic impacts, and
• Uncertainty regarding the estimated costs and benefits of the rule.

The DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) jointly proposed a speed limiter rule in late 2016. The FMCSA then published another speed limiter proposal independent of NHTSA on May 4, 2022, indicating the agency’s intent to move forward. Both proposals have been withdrawn effective July 24, 2025.