A new mandate is now in force in British Columbia that impacts drivers of commercial vehicles with dump boxes.
As of Saturday, June 1, commercial vehicles with a dump box capable of rising above 4.15 meters (around 13.6 feet) are required to be equipped with a visual or audio warning device that alerts the driver if the dump box is raised. The new regulation applies to all applicable commercial vehicles operating in British Columbia, including those from outside the province.
According to the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, the vehicle’s height is determined by measuring the distance from the highest point of its dump box when fully raised to the road surface.
“This change will support greater safety for commercial drivers and all travelers,” the ministry said.
Carriers who are found in violation will face a fine of $598 (about $443 is U.S. dollars) and will have the offense recorded against their National Safety Code profile.
The new mandate is among a number of measures introduced by the provincial government over the past year in an effort to curtail the number of infrastructure crashes in British Columbia. In December 2023, the ministry announced higher fines and “progressive enforcement” for repeat offenders.
“The overwhelming majority of truck drivers are responsible, but the trucking industry has called for tougher action on the small number of irresponsible operators that have caused these crashes,” the ministry said.
In spite of having fines that are the highest of their kind in Canada, the higher penalties haven’t equated to a decrease in the frequency of infrastructure crashes in the province. According to British Columbia’s Commercial Vehicle Bridge/Overpass Crash Report, the province has seen a total of 14 infrastructure crashes through the first six months of 2024 – on pace for a total of 28. If they reach that number, it would eclipse the 17 infrastructure crashes reported by the province the year prior and would more than double the number of instances in 2022.
Even with the increased fines not translating to a decrease in bridge strikes, the British Columbia government raised those fines even higher in March by modifying the province’s Commercial Motor Vehicle Act to allow courts to impose fines up to $100,000 (CAD) and/or up to 18 months in prison for carriers involved in infrastructure crashes.
Speed limiter mandate
In April, the province began requiring all commercial vehicles operating in British Columbia manufactured after 1994, with a gross vehicle rating of more than 11,793 kilograms (26,000 pounds), to have a speed-limiting device activated, set and accurately programmed to a maximum rate of speed of 105 km/h (65 mph).
According to the ministry, the use of speed limiters will help with “decreasing (greenhouse gas) emissions, reducing speed-related crashes and making it safer for all road users.” LL
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