British Columbia carriers have safety certificate suspension lifted

Two trucking companies in British Columbia have had their safety certificate reinstated after being suspended earlier this month.

On Jan. 19, British Columbia’s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure lifted the suspension of TSD Holdings’ safety certificate – restoring the company’s ability to operate its 20-truck fleet within the province.

The suspension came after an infrastructure crash on Jan. 10 in which one of the company’s trucks struck the roof of the Massey Tunnel in Vancouver. An investigation conducted by Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement determined the cause of the crash to be “driver error – failure to follow conditions of permit.”

In addition to fines totaling $2,371 in Canadian currency – roughly $1,762 in the United States – the ministry said the company “was asked to submit an action plan to address all areas of non-compliance” following the CVSE investigation. The company also was required to submit plans to ensure future oversized loads will be transported safely.

“CVSE officers have confirmed that the necessary changes that could be made while the carrier was suspended have been completed,” the ministry said in an email to Land Line. “CVSE will be monitoring the carrier to ensure their on-road behavior follows the company’s commitment and the relevant regulations.”

On Monday, Jan. 22, the ministry also lifted the suspension of International Machine Transport Inc., which had its certificate suspended following a collision with an overpass sign a week earlier.

The ministry told Land Line that following CVSE’s investigation – which determined the cause of the crash to be “driver error – vehicle height measured incorrectly prior to obtaining permit” – the company was issued fines totaling $3,612 CAD, about $2,683 USD.

The two companies were among a trio to have their safety certificate suspended after British Columbia in December announced stricter fines and penalties for carriers involved in infrastructure crashes.

“Safety is the priority, and this issue needs to stop,” British Columbia Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Rob Fleming said in a statement. “That’s why we’re taking tougher action, grounding fleets through suspensions and increasing fines, so highway traffic keeps moving safely and reliably for travelers and commercial vehicles, and people can count on their commute.”

According to the province’s Commercial Vehicle Bridge/Overpass Crash Report, which catalogs infrastructure crashes in British Columbia as far back as Dec. 10, 2021, there have been 34 reported crashes over that span.

Four of those crashes have occurred since the stricter enforcement efforts went into effect. In one instance, Chohan Freight Forwarders Ltd. used trucks from a separate fleet operating out of another province to keep freight moving in British Columbia after having its certificate suspended.

As of Friday, Jan. 26, the company’s safety certificate remained suspended.

This loophole led Fleming to ask the federal government to “improve the current decentralized safety certificate model and take an active role in finding solutions that will reduce the gaps in the current system.”

Fleming requested the matter be added to the agenda of the next Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers of Transportation meeting on Feb. 23 in Montreal. LL