Close X
Thursday, October 10, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. truckers group calls for government safety review on overpass strikes

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 03 Jan, 2024 01:14 PM
  • B.C. truckers group calls for government safety review on overpass strikes

After more than 30 overpass strikes by commercial trucks in British Columbia in the past two years, a trucking group is urging the transportation minister to conduct a wide-ranging safety review of the provincial supply chain. 

The United Truckers Association says in a statement that recent overpass strikes have brought to light "deficiencies" in road safety for commercial vehicles. 

Association spokesman Gagan Singh says new training and protocols must be applied equally across all parties, including cargo shippers and B.C.'s importers and exporters. 

B.C.'s Transportation Ministry grounded the 65-truck fleet of Chohan Freight Forwarders last week after freight on one of its vehicles hit an overpass in Lower Mainland, the company's sixth infrastructure strike within two years. 

A statement from the ministry says Chohan also operates a separate company in Alberta, and while carriers from one province may operate in another jurisdiction, it is communicating with regulators in that province who are aware of the suspension in B.C. 

Singh says his group is "imploring" Transport Minister Rob Fleming to understand that all parties in the supply chain must be held accountable to improve road safety. 

MORE National ARTICLES

Busy roads expected for long weekend

Busy roads expected for long weekend
Drivers are being warned to expected increased congestion on the roads starting this evening, ahead of the B-C Day long weekend. People travelling along Highway 1 are encouraged to plan ahead and avoid peak travel times.

Busy roads expected for long weekend

Cloverdale Sport & Ice Complex given the go ahead

Cloverdale Sport & Ice Complex given the go ahead
Surrey Council has approved a 14.5-million-dollar contract for the finishing touches at the Cloverdale Sport and Ice Complex. Mayor Brenda Locke says the first two of three ice sheets are expected to open in September 2024, with the third finished by the summer of 2027.

Cloverdale Sport & Ice Complex given the go ahead

2 shootings in Maple Ridge a day apart

2 shootings in Maple Ridge a day apart
Ridge Meadows RCMP is investigating a report of shots fired at a residence in Maple Ridge that took place early this morning. On Wednesday, at approximately 2:15 a.m., several Ridge Meadows RCMP frontline officers immediately responded to reports of multiple shots fired in the 12000 block of Garden Street in Maple Ridge.

2 shootings in Maple Ridge a day apart

Pledge to plant 2 billion trees lofty but attainable, Natural Resources minister says

Pledge to plant 2 billion trees lofty but attainable, Natural Resources minister says
Wilkinson said in the first two years of the Trudeau government's tree-planting pledge, 110 million trees have been planted, exceeding early targets of 90 million trees during that period.  The minister said in an age of record wildfires and devastating floods, tree planting is an important step in mitigating climate change-related disasters.

Pledge to plant 2 billion trees lofty but attainable, Natural Resources minister says

Fundraiser honours firefighter who died in B.C.

Fundraiser honours firefighter who died in B.C.
A fundraiser has been launched to honour the memory of a firefighter killed while fighting British Columbia's largest wildfire last week. The 25-year-old firefighter who died Friday has been identified as Zak Muise in an online obituary and tribute by the firefighting contractor he worked for.

Fundraiser honours firefighter who died in B.C.

Feds say 6.6 million 'unsafe vehicles' on the road

Feds say 6.6 million 'unsafe vehicles' on the road
Transport Canada estimated in an analysis from June that one in five of the 33.3 million vehicles registered as of 2019 have outstanding recalls but continue to ply the streets and highways, potentially endangering occupants and other road users.

Feds say 6.6 million 'unsafe vehicles' on the road