OEMs, Safety Groups at Odds Over Stopping-Distance Cuts

everal truck and brake manufacturers disagreed sharply with safety advocates over how much the Department of Transportation should cut heavy-truck stopping distances, with the manufacturers preferring a less-drastic reduction while another brake maker and safety groups pressed for shorter distances and mandated disc brakes.

Manufacturers also urged DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to delay its planned changes in stopping regulations — which would require equipment changes for new trucks — until 2008 or 2009, to minimize disruption in an industry already dealing with tighter engine emissions standards.

Currently, a loaded air-braked truck with a standard trailer must be able to go from 60 mph to zero in 355 feet. Cutting that 20% would bring the limit to 284 feet, while a 30% slice would bring it down to 249 feet.