Governors, or speed limiters, have been around since the 17th century, first being used to control the millstones in windmills. Today, however, governors are more often found in cars and trucks to control the top speed vehicles are able to obtain.

Commercial trucks are some of the biggest users of governors, each being equipped with one from the factory. Internationally, Japan, Canada, the European Union and Australia all require the use of speed limiters with a top speed set by law. In the United States, speed limiters are the decision of individual fleets, with many choosing to use the devices for safety and fuel savings.

But traditional mechanical and electronic governors have one disadvantage; they only have one top speed setting. Programming the maximum speed to 65 mph will prevent speeding on a freeway, but what about on a city street or in a school zone where the speed limit is much lower? To solve this problem the industry is increasingly turning to software based solutions. Various technologies exist that serve to alert drivers and their managers when speed limits on any road are exceeded. These solutions can alert drivers in-cab, send reports to managers, and track speeding frequency.

The trucking industry has long seen the value of governors and the American Trucking Associations have petitioned the NHTSA to establish a guideline requiring all Class 7 and 8 trucks have a maximum speed of 65 mph.

As the industry moves forward with their commitment to safety, we will continue to see safety technologies evolve.

Drivers have points, fleets have CSA scores and truck drivers have both. Currently more than half of the states in America have some sort of point system to track unsafe driving habits and all states fall under the CSA program to track unsafe practices for both drivers and fleets as a whole.

This system results in a double whammy for truck drivers, who not only can be damaged by low CSA ratings, but also be impacted by points leveraged on their drivers license by a state DMV. One of the top indicators of unsafe driving, and a trigger for a CSA stop, is excessive speed.

But what does speed mean for a driver? While some states do not leverage points for speeding, more and more states are changing their tune. South Dakota, who previously did not add points to a drivers record for speeding, decided to kick off 2012 by closing that gap.

Technology used to monitor speeding infractions by drivers, is not a tool to just benefit a fleet owner, but a tool to benefit drivers. Less speeding means fewer points, which ultimately equates to a more valuable driver who can showcase their worth and safe driving record when review time comes around.

This time of year the northern parts of the world often find themselves covered in a blanket of white. As conditions worsen and ice builds up on roadways, speed becomes an increasingly important safety variable.

Tires need traction to stop, and it doesn’t matter if your brakes are holding when you’re sliding on a sheet of ice. How can you prevent this? Slow down! No load you’re carrying is worth your life.

Looking for a few tips to help this winter?

Watch your speed: Drive to the conditions, not a preset plan or schedule.

Monitor the airwaves: Listen to the radio and CB, if news is coming of worse conditions ahead, pull off if need be. Waiting out a storm can take less time than waiting for a tow truck to pull your rig out of a ditch.

Be prepared: Carry energy bars, water, blankets and extra fuel treatment with you. These simple supplies can be life savers when the weather turns nasty.

Often here we talk about the importance of speed control to reduce accidents and save costs, but in winter driving watching your speed can save your life.

Oil is the lifeblood of the transportation industry. It’s not often that we take on controversial topics, but this is one that impacts every driver and fleet around the world. Thirty-three percent of all seaborne traded oil moves through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran is threatening to shut down if additional economic sanctions are placed against them.

What does this mean for you? Oil prices have already risen over 2.5 percent since Iran made their announcement. Higher oil means increased diesel prices and operating costs.

Never fear though, the same technology that helps cut speeding incidents, helps save fuel too. It’s no secret that the faster you drive, the more gas you use. We’ve talked about it before, much like the United States cut speed limits during the 1970s oil embargo to reduce fuel consumption, you can take action to reduce your fuel needs by controlling speed and monitoring those drivers traveling above speed limits.

Let technology help protect you from fuel costs today and in the future.