By Staff
October 8th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
If you’re driving on the major highways you know how many trucks there are on the road. And you have every right to wonder just how safe those trucks are – the Regional Police completed a Commercial Motor Vehicle Blitz.
Despite very poor weather conditions they inspected more than 300 commercial motor vehicles.
The police arrive well equipped to do through inspections.
The two-day enforcement blitz, that involved officers and inspectors from the Halton Regional Police Service, along with assistance from neighbouring police services, the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Finance/ Environment yielded the following results:
• Total commercial motor vehicles inspected: 308
• Total commercial motor vehicles taken out of service: 99 (33 percent failure rate)
• Total charges laid: 239
• Sets of licence plates seized by police: 11
2018 Results:
• Total commercial motor vehicles inspected: 443
• Total commercial motor vehicles taken out of service: 143 (32 percent failure rate)
• Total charges laid: 268
• Sets of licence plates seized by police: 13
Is the load properly and safely secured?
Top five charge categories laid during 2019 blitz:
• Failure to complete daily inspections
• Vehicle maintenance
• Failure to obtain annual inspection certificate
• Cargo securement
• Weight violations
New this year, officers also implemented impaired driver screening tests through the use of SFST (Standard Field Sobriety Testing), ASD (Approved Screening Device) for alcohol and ADSE (Approved Drug Screening Equipment) for drugs including THC and cocaine.
The blitz resulted in a total of 182 impaired driver screenings (83% of all heavy commercial motor vehicles drivers inspected during the blitz). These screenings showed a high level of compliance with 179 pass results (98%). The drivers who did not pass were given suspensions for being in violation of the zero alcohol or drug provisions for commercial motor vehicles under the Highway Traffic Act.
“1 in 3 trucks being removed from service as a result of our annual blitz says a few things. Credit to the trucking industry who make safety their priority – as many truck operators do recognize the thin margin for error that exists in operating complex trucks on our roadways. Mechanical fitness, load security and driver fitness are not an option – it’s an obligation.
Tractor trailers get very close inspections.
For those who don’t, Halton Police and our partners will continue to hold truck operators accountable to elevate safety for all road users. Safe trucks, safe loads and safe drivers benefit everyone” said Sgt. Ryan Snow, Traffic Services Unit.
I commend the Halton Police for this action.
Unlike passenger cars, commercial motor vehicles are used by businesses to make money.
The cost of maintenance is the cost of business and therefore the companies must comply with the safety laws; safety for people and the environment.
Competition is unfair when one trucking company by not doing basic maintenance can offer a lower price than the law-abiding trucking companies.
I wish the inspection would include:
> Dump trucks with gravel rocks spewing out of them as they speed down the highway.
> Trucks without operating daylight running lights.
Trucks are needed to move goods around the area – but they need to be safe.
Instead of a one-time annual blitz for 300 trucks
– can we maybe do TWO blitzes in a year? 3?