Local trucking company responds to proposed speed limit change

An Idaho House panel introduced a bill that would allow trucks and buses to go the same speed limit as other vehicles on state highways.

House Transportation Committee Chairman Joe Palmer said he wants to eliminate the slower speed limits placed on truck drivers. He says the current speed limit system creates dangerous scenarios. However, one local trucking company says that despite the possible change, there are a few reasons why they’ll be keeping their trucks at 66 mph.

“One is fuel mileage,” Jason Andrus, Chief Financial Officer for Doug Andrus Distributing, said. “And second is for safety. We feel that it’s safer to run these big trucks at those speeds and we definitely get better fuel mileage cause we’re trying to run a business profitably. That makes sens to do it that way.”

The panel agreed to introduce the proposal, but it still must clear a full hearing.