62 per cent of trucks inspected charged in Shuniah OPP blitz
“Shuniah needs to be open 24/7“
An OPP commercial motor vehicle (CMV) safety blitz at the newly-opened inspection facility near Shuniah resulted in 62 per cent of trucks inspected receiving offence notices.
Members of the Thunder Bay and Armstrong OPP detachments, along with OPP Highway Safety Division Traffic Incident Management and Enforcement Team and MTO conducted proactive Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) enforcement in and around the new MTO facility just east of Thunder Bay.
Inspection blitzes are aimed at reducing the number of CMV related collisions on OPP-patrolled roads. Over 350 CMVs were checked and 201 level one Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance inspection were conducted. 130 commercial vehicles were taken out of service due to hours of service and equipment violations.
216 commercial drivers received offense notices under the Highway Traffic Act, while drivers of passenger and other non-commercial vehicles were issued 16 charges under the Highway Traffic Act.
“CMVs constitute a significant portion of traffic in the Northwest region,” said Regional Traffic Manager, Staff Sergeant Penfold.
“We still have we have, and will continue to hold, drivers of these vehicles to a high standard to mitigate the negative impact of poor driving habits, hours of service violations leading to fatigue drivers and unsafe vehicles. Our commitment to maintaining road safety includes ongoing blitzes and employing thorough inspection protocols to further enhance safety standards on our roadways.”
“Despite the high number of violations, the OPP recognizes the efforts of many CMV drivers who adhere to safety regulations and contribute positively to road safety across Ontario,” the April 22 press release notes.
Industry groups dismayed at high failure rate
Stricter enforcement measures on Northern Ontario roads are a key element in improving road safety, according to industry members including drivers, trainers and insurance providers.
Travis McDougall of Truckers for Safer Highways, which has been calling for more rigorous enforcement of regulations and standards, is pleased to see the Shuniah station open but appalled at the high percentage of commercial vehicles failing inspections.
“This is great – the news of the blitz is great. Blitzes are great; but blitzes are not enough. The inspection stations need to be open consistently so that drivers know they will be inspected; know that they will fail; and know they have to get their act together.
“Shuniah needs to be open 24/7. The location is perfect, where Highways 11 and 17 merge, and westbound drivers cannot avoid it. Shuniah is the perfect opportunity to send the clear message: ‘Do not drive through Northern Ontario if you cannot pass inspection. You WILL be inspected.'”
“The number of vehicles failing inspection is surprisingly high,” notes Philip Fletcher, President of the Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario. “We have seen failure rates between 30 and 40 per cent; 62 per cent is really bad. This is indicative of a worsening problem, not a situation that is getting better.”
Fletcher notes that the fact drivers who have ostensibly been trained and certified are still failing the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance inspection level one shows that continuing education should be continued imperative: “This is one of the reasons TTSAO so strongly supports an industry-wide Mentorship program for new drivers.”
“The enforcement of commercial truck regulations violations is inadequate,” the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) noted in its April 9th report, “Commercial Trucking Education and Insurance.”
“Reviews by the Auditor Generals in Alberta and Ontario found that enforcement of safety violations was inadequate as recently as 2018. Since then, Alberta has implemented the recommendations to become compliant, while Ontario has implemented some of the recommendations.”
13 of 14 Inspections Stations closed
Don Taylor, professional Trucker and author of “Stories from the Road” told Road Warrior News on April 12th that on a recent trip across Ontario, he passed 14 inspection stations, 13 of which were closed.
“Of the 14 scales I encountered across Ontario, only the Windsor scale showed signs of life. There was one official doing an inspection on a truck.
“The others scales I passed included Putnam Road; two on the 400 near Parry Sound; Estaire near Sudbury; Elliot Lake; Sault Ste. Marie; the new one in Shuniah; Dawson Road (Highway 102) in Thunder Bay; Ignace; Dryden; Vermillion Bay; and Rush Lake, 15 kilometers from the Manitoba board, were all locked up tight. Dawson Rd, Dryden and Vermillion Bay even had the actual scale plate blocked off,” said Taylor, who adds that “If Ontario isn’t going to use the stations for inspections, they should at least open them up so drivers could pull over to park and sleep.”
Video: Don Taylor
