Smashing a big truck into a highway overpass soon will come at a higher cost to the industry.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) says higher fines, steeper penalties, longer suspensions, and more driver education will be looked at and reviewed.
The statement came following a commercial truck crashing into the Highway 17A overpass July 18 bringing traffic to a halt.
During 2022, and up until June 14 of this year, 19 commercial trucks have crashed into highway overpasses, most of those in the Lower Mainland.
Dave Earle, president of the B.C. Trucking Association, welcomes any tightening of the rules.
“All of it,” Earle said when asked which measures he’d like to see to improve trucking safety.
Higher penalties and enforcement are important, though they won’t solve everything, he said.
“Anybody who’s involved in moving goods who doesn’t take the time and care and attention to do it safely, needs to be held accountable,” he said. “The frustration is palpable and no one is more frustrated by the delays than truckers. It’s these outliers that really need to be held accountable and say, No more. Enough. You need to do the work that needs to be done, to make sure you’re moving safely.”
Earle added that it’s not just the drivers all the time.
“People that are moving goods – they need to pay attention to who they’re hiring,” he said. “Trucking companies need to train their drivers and give them the space, time and skill to take their time and to be thoughtful and to measure.”
Everyone has to realize that trucking is serious, high-risk work, Earle said.
He favours suspending the licences of companies temporarily for those with bad records. “You get shut down, you’re paying attention right now. That’s not a bad thing. What you want is for the behaviour to change,” he said.
Delta South MLA Ian Paton welcomes tougher penalties, but says education also is required.
He pointed out the height of the overpasses have been the same for decades.
He doesn’t understand how truckers can go out and not know the height of their loads.
“It’s just completely crazy,” Paton said.
He noted that 99 per cent of the truckers know what they’re doing, but all it takes is one per cent who don’t know how high their load is.
“So many of these have happened in the last two or three years, haven’t they? It’s just shocking,” he added.
MOTI said the company whose vehicle was involved in Tuesday’s crash is under investigation. The company has a satisfactory safety rating.
Two of the five girders of the Highway 17A overpass, built in 1959, will need significant repairs.
Mayor George Harvie said the shipping industry has to ensure that trucks are loaded properly, but more importantly, the Highway 17A, Highway 17 and Highway 10 overpasses all need to be replaced.
“They were scheduled for replacement on the original Liberal plan for the bridge. They’re not scheduled for replacement at this time, building the tunnel,” Harvie said. “I’m really hoping the province has a good look when we do the George Massey Tunnel replacement, at making the Highway 99 corridor fully up to current standards.”
