July 14, 2008

Speed limiters offer cost-savings and environmental benefits, report finds

OTTAWA

There are positive environmental gains from capping the speed of large commercial trucks at 105 kilometres per hour (km/h) through a speed limiter, says a federal report.

The report reveals that speed limiters on large trucks could result in 228.6 million litres of diesel fuel saved, representing 1.4 per cent of the total on-road diesel consumed in 2006. Annual greenhouse gas savings related to this proposal are estimated at 0.64 megatonnes. Ontario and Quebec would account for 64 per cent of these estimated savings.

In April, Lawrence Cannon, Canada’s transportation minister, met his provincial counterparts and it was agreed that each province/territory would be responsible for implementing speed-limiter legislation.

Ontario recently passed legislation requiring large commercial trucks operating in the province to be equipped with an electronic speed limiter capped at 105 km/h. Quebec also has speed limiter legislation for large commercial trucks.

“We need a national approach if we are to reach our greenhouse gas reduction targets,” Cannon said. “I congratulate Ontario and Quebec on being the first provinces to mandate speed limiters and encourage other provinces and territories to do the same.”

In 2005, the Canadian Trucking Alliance called on governments to mandate the activation of speed limiters on all heavy trucks travelling in Canada at no more than 105 km/h. Transport Canada, with the assistance of a steering committee representing British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, commissioned a number of studies to review the implications of a national speed-limiter requirement from a safety, environmental, economic and operational perspective.

While the provincial and territorial governments have jurisdiction for road use and after-market additions to motor vehicles, Transport Canada develops safety standards and regulations for new vehicles and vehicles imported for use in Canada.

DCN News Services

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