WHEREAS the number of commercial vehicles using roads and highways throughout the province is increasing; AND WHEREAS commercial vehicles pose a threat to public safety and critical infrastructure if they are not properly maintained or are exceeding the load weight restrictions as prescribed by the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations; AND WHEREAS a recent commercial vehicle inspection program in Delta resulted in a 41 failure rate 13 higher than a similar program conducted in 2006: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the provincial government be requested to: - Require annual inspections of all commercial vehicles having a licensed gross vehicle weight of 5,500 kg to 8,200 kg. - Require twice-yearly inspections for commercial vehicles having a licensed gross vehicle weight over 8,200 kg. - Require twice-yearly inspections for container chassis trailers. - Regulate pre-trip inspections, e.g. failure to conduct pre-trip inspection will result in review of the drivers Class 1 status. - Postpone closure of weigh-scale until completion of the Gateway project. - Increase the fines for commercial vehicles relating to maintenance of tires, brakes, lighting and overweight loads. - Develop an impoundment standard for commercial vehicles that consistently fail to meet the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance standards threshold. - Increase the number of truck inspection sites and commercial vehicle inspectors. - Conduct regular inspections of Commercial Vehicle Inspection Facilities to ensure compliance with the standards as prescribed. - Endorse a bylaw to provide local governments authority to suspend the business licence of trucking companies operating within their jurisdiction for having an unsatisfactory maintenance and safety record. - Examine potential of using truck inspection technology FLIR on a collaborative cost-sharing basis with all jurisdictions in the Lower Mainland.
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION The Ministry of Transportation Ministry has no statistical evidence indicating mechanical failure is a significant contributing factor in crashes involving commercial vehicles having a licensed gross vehicle weight of 5,500 kg to 8,200 kg. Vehicles within this weight range include light trucks which have mechanical characteristics which are more similar to a car than to a heavy truck. Crash data does not suggest a need to increase the frequency of inspections. Mechanical failure is not the primary cause of vehicle crashes. Alberta and Saskatchewan require annual inspections for vehicles exceeding 11,794 kg and 22,000 kg, respectively, when based in their provinces. The Ministry is currently focusing efforts on roadside enforcement of the vehicle standards because the problems appear to be more related to regular vehicle maintenance and daily trip inspections rather than periodic inspections at Designated Inspection Facilities. The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General is responsible for the intervention process for drivers in British Columbia Province. They are currently reviewing the potential to add penalty points to a drivers record for commercial transport offences that are determined to be safety related. The Ministry has no plans to close any more weigh scales until the Gateway Program is implemented and facilities are relocated to correspond with the new highway alignment. It has been found that increasing fines does not necessarily increase the level of compliance. Within the National Safety Code, every conviction adds points to the carriers profile which can then impact their ability to conduct commercial trucking operations. Carriers are more concerned with the addition of points to the profile than with the fine amount. The Ministry has discussed the potential for impounding vehicles with the BC Trucking Association BCTA. BCTA is promoting the truck jail model as operated in Ontario. Further review is required to ensure the Ministry is not liable for vehicles which are impounded and to provide secure impoundment areas. There are over 2000 Designated Inspection Facilities in the Province. The Ministry continues to receive applications from facilities wishing to become designated and from inspectors requesting authorization. Designated Inspection facilities are reviewed on a regular basis. Facilities which are not conducting inspections as required by the program can be fined, suspended or both, or in serious cases, their designation will be cancelled and the facility will not be authorized to conduct vehicle inspections. The Ministry is prepared to work with local governments to provide them information relating to commercial vehicle operations. Any decisions to cancel local business licenses would have to occur at the local level. The Ministry is considering a range of technologies which will allow staff to more closely monitor vehicles. The Ministry is willing to partner with local governments to identify technologies which can provide solutions to local problems and promote better compliance with road safety initiatives.