Commercial Vehicles

Information regarding heavy commercial vehicles.

Q&A - Commercial Vehicles Using Out of Province Licence Plates

Q&A ImageI see more and more Alberta companies having Alberta plates on their equipment and having their terminals in BC. These companies work and train out of the BC terminals. Their equipment runs either all BC or are pro-rated to run BC/Alberta.

Is this legal and how do they do it?

Q&A - Loading Only the Rear Trailer on a B Train

Q&A Image A new commercial vehicle driver is pulling a B-train with the rear trailer loaded and the first trailer empty ... at least that's the way I understand it.

He is driving from Alberta to BC and claims to be getting stuck in the winter conditions. I believe this load should be illegal but can't find any regs covering it.

VIDEO - Crashing Into the Rear of a Commercial Trailer

IIHS LogoI've always wondered how well the underride protection at the back of heavy commercial trailers would work, but I was never called on to investigate a collision like this. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has produced a video that shows these underride prevention structures provide poor protection when built to US standards and only slightly better protection when built to Canadian standards.

VIDEO - The Right Reasons

video iconGrant Aune of Advantage Fleet Services explains the difference between "doing what you're told" and "doing what you have to". In this case he is using the example of load security and explains that the load may only require four tie downs by law, but you may choose to use more because you know that you don't want the load to move, so you are doing it for the right reasons.

Employee Safe Driving Policy

Safety PlanI was listening to the investigation of a driving complaint unfold the other day. A member of the public had complained about the way a business vehicle was being driven and the constable had asked the dispatcher to inquire about the driver with the business. "He's a pretty bad driver" the dispatcher relayed from the business owner, "he should probably get a ticket."

VIDEO - Truck Underride: A Hazard Hidden in Plain View

VideoColliding with the rear or side of a commercial vehicle can be more than a headache. Currently North American standards have required a stronger rear underride protection, but there is no requirement at all for side underride protection. This video illustrates the hazard and demonstrates the added protection for side underride protection currently mandated in Europe.

CASE LAW - MacEachern v Rennie

BC Courts Coat of ArmsThis case decides liability after a collision between a cyclist and a large commercial truck. Christina MacEachern was riding or walking beside a bicycle along the King George Highway in Surrey, B.C. She was opposing traffic on the shoulder of the roadway which was narrow due to vehicles parked next to it.