BOISE, Idaho — Senior Reporter Don Nelson spoke with Idaho CDL Training, the only locally owned and operated truck driving school in the Treasure Valley, about a new law raising speed limits for semis.
Starting this summer, semi-trucks on certain sections of I-84 will be allowed to travel 80 miles per hour. This comes after Idaho passed HB 664, legislation that allows trucks to match passenger car speed limits.
RELATED | Idaho law allows semi-trucks and passenger cars to drive the same 80 mph on interstates
Bill advocates argued HB 664 puts Idaho in line with neighboring states and will improve traffic flow.
Harry Packwood, CEO of Idaho CDL Training, says that safety will remain the top priority.
Packwood said that for truck drivers, the speed limit is "the one thing you need to keep in the back of your mind as you’re operating that vehicle, because ultimately you are solely responsible for the safe operation of that vehicle.”
Packwood acknowledges that many trucks with speed limiters may not see significant changes.
“The intention of the vehicle was obviously not made for speed,” he said.
Kirk Smith, a former student and current instructor at Idaho CDL Training, echoes that school's utmost focus on safety.
“We have classrooms, we have one-on-ones, we have instructor to student ratio where everybody is getting the proper training on how to become a professional driver,” Smith said.
Packwood said it is a common misconception that most professional truck drivers recklessly speed to arrive at destinations faster.
“If you don’t get there because you got in an accident and it was speed-related ... well, that didn’t help you either,” Packwood said.
Being aware of speed limits and safe driving practices is not only important for truck drivers. Whether you’re a trucker or an everyday driver, always show patience and courtesy on Idaho’s highways, Packwood said.
