Commercial Vehicles

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has installed additional portable toilets at select commercial vehicle brake checks, inspection stations and chain up locations to provide more facilities to the trucking industry during the COVID-19 crisis. The map shows existing rest areas as well as the locations of temporarily installed portable facilities.

A commuter asked "I would really like to see the article written about what to do when we see a commercial transport vehicle that is driving in an unsafe manner. You gave us a phone number to call that specifically relates to tractor trailers, and who to call when we witness a driving infraction. I see it on a regular basis and most of the times the trucks are unmarked."

One of the critical concepts I learned as a collision investigator this that fully loaded heavy trucks have 50 to 60% of the braking capability of light vehicles. This assumes that the braking system is not overheated, has been maintained properly and is correctly adjusted.

Air brake systems also suffer from brake lag, a short time period that occurs between the driver stepping on the brake pedal and the brakes starting to apply.

Our government has announced that ride hailing companies will be allowed to apply for licensing from the Passenger Transportation Board on September 3, 2019. If you are interested in becoming a driver for one of these services it would be wise to begin your planning now as you will require a class 4 driver's licence, criminal record check, driving record check, a current vehicle inspection and extra insurance from ICBC.

In response to complaints of commercial vehicles failing to follow regulatory requirements in the District of McKenzie the police began to operate compliance check stops. A Kenworth tractor without a trailer was observed traveling northbound on Highway 39 near the causeway outside Mackenzie. The officer followed the vehicle for some kilometers before stopping it and interviewing the driver.

BC's Auditor General has released the report of an independent audit of commercial vehicle safety in our province. The audit looked at whether the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia and the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General have effectively managed their respective programs to promote the safe operation of commercial vehicles on B.C. roads.

Effective immediately, the rules governing the use of tire chains on commercial vehicles traveling on BC highways have been made more extensive and the penalties for failing to follow them are under consideration and will become more expensive later this winter.

Effective this week, heavy commercial vehicles will be forbidden to use the leftmost lane on the Coquihalla Highway between Box Canyon and Zopkios. Aimed at keeping "spun out" trucks on the right side of the highway and the left lane clear for snow removal equipment and tow trucks. If this pilot program produces the hoped for outcome it may be extended to other routes in the interior of the province.

CBC's Marketplace has produced a program on commercial driver licensing in Canada. Their driver earned his commercial driver's licence in Saskatchewan and then failed the test for the same licence category in Ontario. At issue is the varying level of skill necessary to obtain a commercial driver's licence across the provinces.

In what may be one of the ultimate Tonka toy dreams, I was lucky enough to participate in a training session where we were tipping heavy trucks over on purpose. The adventure, spearheaded by Eric Brewer, took place on a dormant runway at the Boundary Bay airport that is used by government agencies for driver training and collision reconstruction testing.