The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Proposed changes to the Highway Traffic Act to bring more heavy trucks and other vehicles under National Safety Code standards would make Manitoba roads safer. That was the assessment of Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton this week as he announced the proposed changes. 'This will help ensure that more heavy trucks and other vehicles rolling across Manitoba roadways are in safe mechanical order,' said Ashton. 'The National Safety Code standards, which have been implemented across Canada, will help improve the safety of everyone who uses the province's roads.' The proposed amendments would apply largely to operators of heavy vehicles that currently fall outside of the Highway Traffic Act definitions of commercial trucks or public service vehicles. The changes would include: all heavy vehicle operators would now have their safety performance monitored through Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation's (MIT) Carrier Profile System (National Safety Code Standard 7 _ Driver and Carrier Profiles); Êheavy vehicle operators would need to obtain a Safety Fitness Certificate from MIT (National Safety Code Standard 14 _ Safety Rating); and Êmost heavy vehicle operators who would need to obtain a Safety Fitness Certificate would also need to comply with various other National Safety Code Standards including those requiring daily log books for recording driver hours of service and daily inspections of vehicles by drivers to help identify vehicle defects. Most vehicles that are outside of the current definitions are registered as T-plates, which was an exemption based on an old regulatory system exempting vehicles operating entirely within the vicinity of a single municipality from complying with many safety regulations. Ashton said bringing these vehicles into compliance with national standards is important as they have the highest out-of-service rate for mechanical problems, accident rates and MPIe claims of all heavy trucks operating in Manitoba. Some of the heavy vehicles currently exempt from the National Safety Code standards that would be required to comply with these standards are delivery trucks operated by small businesses; trucks operated by or on behalf of the province, municipalities or First Nation bands; Manitoba Hydro vehicles; MTS and other telecommunication vehicles; Canada Post vehicles; tow trucks; newspaper trucks; and garbage trucks. Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation will contact every operator of a T-plate vehicle by letter, as well as contact a range of organizations whose members could be affected by these proposed changes. _ Compiled from a Government of Manitoba news release
