Recently a bill was passed in Tennessee approving a split speed limit for cars and trucks. The new truck speed limit is 55 mph, while the speed limit for cars remains at 65 70 mph. The reason given for the reduced truck speed was that it would reduce air pollution caused by trucks. It seems that our lawmakers have sold out safety in the hopes that reduced speed limits for trucks will lower the air pollution over East Tennessee, a premise that has not been proven.

It has, however been proven that a split speed limit increases the danger of car/truck wrecks. Florida recently rejected split speed limits for this very reason. And the Tennessee Highway Patrol advised against this action because they understand the safety factors involved.

It should be obvious that when the difference between the highway speeds for cars and trucks is 10 15 mph, the number of exchanges between them will greatly increase. Every time a car has to go around a truck, there is danger of an accident. And there will be plenty of cars going around trucks.

Also, this new lower speed limit virtually consigns trucks to the right lane of traffic, which is the lane designated for slower traffic. It is dangerous enough to get onto and off of the interstate when trucks are allowed to travel at the same rate of speed as cars and are allowed to use the middle and inside lanes. Imagine trying to enter or exit the interstate highways with trucks lined up in the outside lane going 55 mph.

Also, does it not make more sense to consign all through truck traffic to the inside lane, where they would be out of the way? After all, about 90% of truck traffic in any city is just passing through, with no intention of leaving the interstate.

There are economic issues as well. A truck entering Tennessee at Memphis and travelling to Virginia will drive over 500 miles in TN. It takes a truck seven to eight hours to drive 500 miles at 70 mph. At 55 mph, it will take that truck nine to ten hours to travel that 500 miles. The driver has lost two hours of pay. That is every driver losing two hours of pay every day he drives in Tennessee. There is another way to look at this. If a company driver makes 30 cents a mile and averages 65 mph, he is paid about $19.50 per hour. If a company driver makes 30 cents a mile and averages 50 mph, he is paid about $15.50 per hour. That is a $4.00 per hour difference. Our lawmakers have cheated him/her out of $160.00 per week. If that driver lives in the state

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