
The Quebec Trucking Association (QTA) is warning the Quebec government about the serious dangers the Chauffeur Inc. scheme represents for the safety of those on Quebec roads this winter.
“There are thousands of incorporated drivers…overexploited by their employers and not sufficiently trained in the requirements of driving a heavy vehicle, crisscrossing Canada’s roads,” the QTA said in a press release. “In recent days in Quebec, several member carriers have expressed in the media the growing concern of their drivers as they travel the road in the presence of incorporated drivers.”

The QTA is calling on the province to take a public position on the misclassification of drivers and to remove them from the road.
Thie survey was conducted among 48 carriers representing 16,145 employees and operating 9,846 heavy vehicles. Eighty five per cent of companies surveyed said their drivers have reported feeling insecure sharing the road with incorporated drivers, 60% due to reckless driving and 23% because of poor maintenance.
Seventy nine per cent they have lost revenue due to the scheme, with an average of a 13.8% loss of revenue. Nearly a quarter said the scheme has cost them 20% or more in revenue.
And two thirds of companies surveyed said they think they may have to lay off workers due to that lost revenue, while 37% claim they already have.
Asked how the Controle Routier Quebec agency should address the problem, 46% said it should “check more rigorously the validity of permits and insurance presented during checks.”
Other suggestions included checking the conformity of annual mechanical inspections and to increase the frequency of checks at the scales. The QTA says road inspectors claim they don’t currently have the resources to do so. QTA is asking the province to provide the needed resources to identify and rid the industry of misclassified drivers.
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