On March 12, 2024, the Province announced that commercial truck drivers will face even tougher penalties for infrastructure crashes.

Proposed changes to the Commercial Transport Act will allow courts to impose fines up to $100,000 as well as jail time of up to 18 months upon conviction for violations.

36 overpasses and bridges have been hit by commercial trucks since the end of 2021, as reported by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI).

“The BC Trucking Association welcomes the legislative change by the Province to hold carriers accountable,” said Dave Earle, BCTA president and CEO. “Imposing stricter penalties for carriers supports road safety and helps protect infrastructure, and ultimately enhances safety for everyone on our roads.”

The ministry will be also developing training material to provide commercial drivers guidance on the proper measurement of vehicles and loads. The proper measurement of vehicle/load height is a component of the Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT) program for Class 1 drivers.

For the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure release, click here.