The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will withdraw a proposed rule that would have required the use of speed-limiting devices on commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced June 27.
The announcement was part of a “pro-trucker package” unveiled by Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, which also includes plans to “eliminate 1,800 words from federal regulations” that the department described as “burdensome.” The existing rules “make it harder for truckers to do their job while failing to go after bad actors,” according to the DOT.
The DOT announcement described the speed-limiter proposal as a “one-size-fits-all mandate” that posed a safety hazard, forcing drivers to go slower than the flow of traffic.
The FMCSA issued its speed-limiter proposal on May 4, 2022, and it would have relied on the use of electronic engine control units (ECUs) capable of governing maximum CMV speeds. ECUs have been routinely installed in CMVs after 2003 to govern vehicle speeds to prevent engine or other vehicle damage. The FMCSA considered implementing a rule that would have first applied to CMVs built after 2003.
The proposal divided industry groups. The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) described the proposal as a top industry concern, ranking it ninth overall among industry concerns and fifth among commercial drivers.
Other actions in the DOT’s “pro-driver package” include expanding truck parking and modernizing the FMCSA’s online tools, launching new, “more user-friendly” digital assets.
Duffy also announced on June 27 that the FMCSA would conduct a nationwide compliance audit of states that issue non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs).
“The open borders policies of the last administration allowed millions to flood our country–leading to serious allegations that the trucking licensing system is being exploited,” Duffy said in a statement.
NSC investing $300K in MSD research, pilot projects
The National Safety Council (NSC) announced on June 25 $300,000 in grants to the 2025–2026 Research to Solutions (R2S) and MSD Solutions Pilot grant recipients. The latest grants bring the group’s total investment in musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) prevention to nearly $850,000 over a three-year period.
Recipients of 2025 R2S grants include:
- The University of Waterloo in Ontario, a second-time grant recipient, will use innovative MSD risk assessment tools to leverage data from emerging technologies more effectively.
- Auburn University will test a new plant layout organizational tool for MSD control and mitigation.
- Texas Tech University will assess 3D-printed head and neck rests for reducing discomfort during overhead work.
- George Mason University will develop smartphone computer vision technology for real-time movement assessment to prevent MSDs in emergency responders.
- Pilot project grant recipients include:
- dormakaba will partner with DORN to train employees in MSD risk reduction best practices to improve overall wellness.
- Cargillwill work with MākuSafe to explore how technology can be used to create risk profiles and provide early hazard identification.
- Panduit will team with Stroma Vision to help reduce upper-extremity MSD risks in cable management and electrical connectivity manufacturing operations.
- Northwell will collaborate with Hapo to validate the benefits of a “surgeon exoskeleton” in reducing upper-limb strain during long, complex surgical procedures.
- US Foods will use IntelliSafe Analytics to identify lifting stress incidents at manufacturing facilities and delivery sites.
The NSC described MSDs as “the most common workplace injury in America.”