Page 14 - Newcom

COVER STORY
Changes to Alberta’s trucking regulations
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MANAGE THE WESTERN RUN
Transportation minister Brian Mason announced three changes to Alberta’s trucking regulations in Calgary July 10, including the introduction of mandatory entry-level driver training.
temporary safety fitness certificates. At present, new carriers can begin operations and be given a temporary safety fitness certificate while waiting to pass and receive their official certificate.
“Alberta has been the only province to offer a 60-day temporary safety fitness certification for new commercial carriers prior to their passing the safety fitness requirements,” said Mason. “We are going to remove that temporary certificate.”
New carriers in Alberta will also be required to complete a mandatory course to gain a better understanding of how the rules work prior to commencing operations.
Mason said they are considering conducting mandatory compliance reviews for new car- riers within nine to 12 months of their oper- ations, as well as a review of carriers’ safety fitness certificates every three years to enhance industry oversight.
“This will effectively eliminate the chameleon carrier, where a new startup trucking company is put out of service for violations and then simply changes the name and reopens and continues to operate,” claimed Mason. “That has been a partic- ular problem in Alberta. We’re the only province that issues these temporary safety certificates.”
Alberta’s road test model was the third area Mason said would be modified.
Through the use of a third-party, Alberta Transportation conducted a review of the prov- ince’s driver examination model, which under- scored several issues, including road testing fees being the highest in Canada, a mistrust of the examination model by Albertans, and a flawed system overall.
There were also more than 40 investigations of impropriety identified in a 36-month period in the current privatized road testing model, some resulting in violations of the Traffic Safety Act and others in criminal charges.
Mason said to help remedy this mistrust, a move to restore driver examiners as government employees is being considered.
“We need to ensure that Alberta’s driver exam- ination model is safe, transparent, and secure,” said Brian Malkinson, minister of Service Alberta, adding that registry agents will play a vital role. “They provide frontline services and jobs throughout the province. That’s why we need to consult and work with them on these proposed changes to ensure that Albertans can continue to access these services.”
The government will consult with stakehold- ers and the public for all three initiatives, with
each expected to be implemented this coming January.
Chris Nash, president of the AMTA, pointed to work being done on Calgary’s ring road and Edmonton’s Anthony Henday as evidence that steps are being taken to improve the safe move- ment of goods in Alberta.
He also said the AMTA has long recognized the need for minimum standardized training.
“The AMTA puts safety above all when it comes to the transportation industry,” said Nash. “We believe minimum standard training is required for both new and existing commercial drivers and carriers to operate on Alberta’s road- ways. We look forward to working with govern- ment to develop standard training in the trans- portation industry.”
Jeff Kasbrick, vice-president of government and stakeholder relations for the Alberta Motor Association, said driver training and regular re-training are essential for traffic safety.
“For commercial drivers, who spend signif- icant time on our roads, as well as operating larger vehicles, we are pleased to see that a form of mandatory entry-level training on a common curriculum will be part of Alberta’s future mobil- ity landscape,” said Kasbrick.
Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) president Stephen Laskowski said though the vast major- ity of trucking companies and drivers embrace a culture of compliance by exceeding minimum safety requirements, the announcement from the Alberta government was a welcome and much needed one.
“The events surrounding the Humboldt tragedy have reminded all of us that we need to have a national conversation about raising the bar in dealing with those operators who do not make the proper investments in truck safety and lack the commitment to make improve- ments,” said Laskowski, “By working with all levels of government to implement this plan on a national basis we can make roads safer by focusing enforcement attention on carriers and drivers who need it most.”
Mason said though he does not see a way the government could proceed with any of these measures on a retroactive basis, particularly when it comes to chameleon carriers, the intent is to establish a new set of requirements that will help make Alberta’s roads safer.
“Humboldt underlined the urgency of moving forward,” said Mason, “and we’re prepared to do that now.” TW
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