As winter sets in across British Columbia’s highways, the challenge of keeping our roads safe takes centre stage. The trucking industry knows this intimately: timely snow-clearing, de-icing, and real-time monitoring of winter operations make the difference between on-time and safe delivery OR significant delays, closures, and risk to lives. 

BCTA believes that embracing GPS tracking on snow-removal machinery and establishing transparent operational processes are not optional extras – they are foundational to winter-road safety, reliability, and public accountability. 

The Winter Maintenance Reality

• In BC, there are over 47,000 km of provincial highways that contractors are responsible for maintaining in all seasons. (1)  
• Individual service areas hold contracts valued in the tens of millions of dollars annually. For example, the Lower Mainland maintenance contract is approximately $26.4 million per year, Fraser Valley is around $18.5 million per year, and the East Kootenay contract is approximately $22.6 million per year. (2) 

• The province uses a classification system (Classes A, B, C, D, E, F) to prioritize winter maintenance. For example, “Class A” roads (major inter-provincial highways and commuter routes) get priority during a winter storm because they typically carry 5,000+ vehicles per day in winter.   

• In BC’s newer highway-maintenance contracts, the standard for returning “bare pavement” on Class A highways has been tightened to within 24 hours of a winter weather event ending (at pavement temperatures at or above –9 °C). (3)   

What reality tells us is that maintenance is not static or “one-size fits all.” The standards are evolving, but so are expectations from industry, motorists, and commercial carriers. 

Why GPS Tracking + Transparency Matter

1. Real-time operational oversight

With GPS tracking on snow‐clearing vehicles, maintenance managers (and by extension the public) can verify that equipment is deployed where and when promised. Was the route covered within the target circuit time, did the plow hit all required waypoints, and were response delays present during storms? 

During the last round of awarding maintenance contracts in BC, the Ministry of Transportation and Transit introduced a requirement for “Automated Vehicle Location (AVL)” tracking. AVL is not public-facing, but we believe it must be. If a key corridor (e.g., the Coquihalla/Hwy 5) is impacted by a storm, carriers and drivers can have greater confidence in what is happening behind the scenes. 

2. Data for smarter planning & resource allocation

Snow removal is not just about dispatching equipment. It involves monitoring pavement temperature, moisture, and forecast data through systems known as Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS).   

This data supports a shift toward “proactive” maintenance where contractors monitor and consult weather/RWIS data and increase patrol frequency, and mobilize equipment when a weather event is forecasted, not waiting until the snow starts.   

GPS data, combined with operational logs, helps optimize routing, equipment fleets, salt/sand use, and contractor performance metrics, thereby reducing cost and improving safety. 

3. Real-time locations = real-time solutions

Putting real-time data in the hands of drivers is a game-changer. Even with proactive maintenance, during significant weather events, conditions can change so quickly that snow and ice can accumulate to dangerous levels before plows can get there. A driver may be travelling a few kilometres ahead of a plow in harsh conditions, but if they knew a plow was minutes behind them, they could choose to wait for it to pass, rejoining traffic on a freshly plowed highway.  

4. Public confidence and transparency

When the public (including truck drivers, commercial vehicles, and general motorists) can access information like “this section was cleared at 04:15”, “treated for ice at 05:10”, or “bare pavement achieved at 06:20”, it builds trust. For the trucking sector, that trust matters. When routes are reliably open and cleared, deliveries avoid delays, costs stay predictable, and driver safety improves. 

A Policy Framework for BC’s Winter Highway Maintenance

1. Public reporting on DriveBC

• Reporting frequency should be as near to real-time as possible, showing near-real-time updates of major highway segments, including last service time, service type (plow, salt, sand) 

• Reporting should be public-facing through DriveBC.ca.

2. Performance benchmarks & contract compliance

• Data should be used to determine gaps /improvements to compliance with contractual service-level targets (e.g. snow cleared within X hours of end of event, ice treated within Y minutes of detection, bare pavement achieved within Z hours)

3. Integration with weather and sensor networks

• Combine GPS/vehicle data with pavement sensors (RWIS), weather forecast systems, and archived performance logs to further refine anticipation of problem areas. 

What This Means for the Trucking Industry 

• Better route reliability: With transparent tracking and monitoring on major corridors, carriers can plan with greater confidence, reducing disruptions caused by unreported ploughing delays or unsafe road segments. 

• Improved safety for drivers: When road conditions are monitored, treated, and verified, truck drivers face fewer surprises, fewer delays and fewer high-risk driving situations. 

• Accountability and advocacy: BCTA and its members can point to measurable data to hold agencies or contractors accountable and push for improvement where necessary. 

• Cost containment: When winter operations are efficient, the broader economic cost (delays, accidents, closures) falls, benefiting carriers and the economy at large. 

The Call to Action 

At BCTA, we urge the provincial government to adopt this policy framework. The time for reactive maintenance is past. The trucking industry requires a proactive, transparent, data-enabled approach, including: 

• Public-facing dashboard of maintenance status (especially along key truck corridors) on DriveBC.ca. 

• Stronger evaluation of performance standards and accountability. 

• Data-driven planning and investment across the highway network. 

When the snow flies and trucks roll, drivers must know that the roads are being treated, plowed, and monitored in real time. Let’s move from “hope the plow came through” to “I can see this section was cleared and the plow is just ahead of me.” That’s the transparency our industry and our public deserve. 

 

[1] Government of BC: https://www.tranbc.ca/2020/12/18/the-abcs-of-winter-highway-classification-and-maintenance-in-bc/

[2] Government of BC: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/transportation-infrastructure/contracting-to-transportation/highway-bridge-maintenance/highway-maintenance/value-of-agreements

[3] https://www.tranbc.ca/2020/01/29/how-bc-highway-maintenance-contracts-have-changed-for-the-better/