Put the Brakes on Speed Limiters

“Mettons un frein au limiteur de vitesse”. This is the name of the campaign OBAC and OOIDA have put up in the French speaking Province of Quebec to be a counter-act to the other associations in trucking that are pushing the issue of the mandatory speed limiter on all trucks in Quebec and passing in. This goes the same way as in neighbouring Ontario. At first, Minister Boulet was putting it up to all trucks in Quebec but, the wording is slowly changing to rime more with the Minister of Transport of Ontario and will include all trucks rolling in Quebec.

Current members of OOIDA in Quebec have received a letter with a reply card to the Minister. Other cards will be available in truck stops around the province shortly these coming weeks. Some representatives of OBAC will be on the road to pass them out also. All you will have to do is to fill them out and drop it in a mail box or leave it to the person that handed it out to you. They will gladly expedite them to Minister Boulet.

There is also the letters and the online petition available. Up to now, there is over 705 support signature from drivers of Quebec, Ontario, Canada and the United States. Don’t forget that our southern neighbours, that are trade partners, are going to be forced to comply. Their support is important and not to neglect.

Even if OBAC’s web site doesn’t reflect the new cost of membership, it will be updated shortly and the cost is now of $45.00cdn to be a member. If you are an OOIDA member all ready, it drops to $25.00cdn. To sign up at the new pricing, you can give us a call at 1-866-747-OBAC (6222) or at 1-888-794-9990.

The power is in the numbers. The more we are, the more our representation will weigh.

A Solution for Road Infrastructures in Quebec

I may be only a blogger but, many ideas have started on this new media and made their way. I am also a citizen with a severe case of paying enough taxes and not getting a fair return on my money.

If I use the simple accounting principle that to spend more I need more income, or if you prefer I can’t spend more then what I earn and I apply it to governments, this often translate in a new tax or a new user fee. Personally, it’s the second option I prefer. This can be applied to the highway network for carriers, that are paying a road tax, and to other road users who are paying taxes on fuels.

My comments won’t get a unanimous support but could put a balm on the open wounds that our road network has in Quebec and this network may find the lost vitality, expand if these founds are totally applied to it.

The first idea is an old one and even my friend Jacques Plante, host on Livraison Speciale, talks about it once in a while. To have personalized licence plates. If I look the amount of these plates on the roads of Ontario and the invoice that follows, $237.30, this could be a new voluntary tax that could help the roadway network. With my caffeine addiction, I could choose LRG KFE if we are limited to 6 characters.

Another idea is to put a single fee to acquire the licence plate on top of the yearly registration fee. Many other administrations are doing it already. This could slow down the plate changing for any reasons, good or bad, and ease on the cost to the government to produce the plates.

Another irregularity I noticed in our registration system is the cost to licence a trailer. This is where a user fee rate could be applied. I ask you this question: Is it normal that licensing a 3’X7’ utility trailer cost is the same as a 53’ four axels, $67.00, and the registration is permanent?

My answer is no. Why? I don’t think nobody will ever load up a utility trailer pulled by an every day car with the same payload. This trailer may never roll in its lifetime the distance a transport trailer does in a year. The idea is the same for a small trailer used for a commercial purpose. If our Ministers of Finance and of Transport take at heart the well being of the roadways, a modulation of the rates would create appreciated new revenues. An option to consider is to stop the permanent licensing on commercial trailers. This includes all types of trailers. If there is a luxury tax and a high engine displacement tax on cars, a RV trailer could have a higher fee depending on the length. Here is the grid I suggest

Private utility trailer 45.00 permanent
Tent trailer 60.00 permanent
27’ or less RV trailer 75.00 permanent
27’ or more RV trailer 100.00 permanent
Commercial utility trailer 25.00 yearly
Transport trailer 2 axels 45.00 yearly
Additional axel 15.00 yearly

Considering that an escape of registration outside of the province is possible, it should be mandatory for a company that the main place of business is in Quebec to have their trailers registered in Quebec. It could be the same for the power units.

For a carrier whose main place of business is in Quebec, it would only be normal to have the fleet tagged in the province. Some exceptions could be considered for assigned units based to drivers in a satellite terminal out of Quebec and for local use trucks at that same place. The same principle can be applied to carriers out of Quebec for their satellite terminals in the province for their power units assigned to Quebec drivers and to local use trucks.

I already ear the FQCC, which I was a long time member, carriers association, lawn care people and others. Are we the main users of the roadways? Don’t forget I have put a very important condition.

These new founds are to be applied to the budgets of the Transport Ministry for roads and infrastructures only.

Jean Catudal

Drivers and Speed Limiter Survey by OOIDA Foundation

In all the issues surrounding the proposal of Minister Boulet on the speed limiter, for the past few months we have heard arguments for, against and anywhere in between. A study of ATRI, one within the members of the QTA, another from the OTA and more. One survey that has passed under the radars in Canada is the one OOIDA’s Foundation made to get the point of view of the drivers on the issue. I did get a copy and I am sharing these numbers today. With the authorisation of OOIDA, I can reproduce the questions and the answers.

The drivers were selected using the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association data base identifying those drivers who were listed as hired drivers. There were 15,382 drivers identified as hired drivers .A survey was sent to all those drivers with a return envelope. There were a total of 3,422 completed surveys returned and entered into the data base. There were 55 surveys returned with wrong addresses making the total surveyed 15,327. This represents a 22.3% return rate.

1. What trucking company do you drive for?
Number of different trucking companies listed. 2,080

2. Is the truck you drive equipped with a speed limiter?
Yes = 64,6% No = 35,4%

3. What is the maximum speed setting of the speed limiter?
Average setting = 69 mph

4. If the vehicle you drive is limited to a speed that is less than the speed limit on many highways you travel, do you exceed the speed limit on roads or in areas where the speed limit is less than the speed limiter setting to make up for lost time?
Never ` 26.2%
Sometimes 51.8%
Usually 16.7%
Always 5.3%

5. Does the company also speed limit owner-operators’ trucks?
Yes: 9.8% No: 41% Don’t know: 23.3% N/A: 25.9%

6. Please rank what concerns you have about speed limiters. Rank from 1-6; with 1 being the primary concern and 6 being the least concern. If you have no concerns about speed limiters please mark “No concerns” with a 0.
(Ranked by results)
1- Lack of passing speed
2- Increased congestion
3- Being rear-ended
4- Need to drive longer to get miles
5- More frequent passing by automobiles
6- Other; Specify
7- No concerns

7. When looking for a company to drive for, is the fact that a company has speed limiters an important part of your consideration?
Yes: 2,042 No: 621 Not a factor: 739

8. If all things were equal, would you rather drive for a company that has speed limiters or one that does not?
Does 120 Does Not 2,780 Not a factor 500

9. In your opinion what is the best way to enforce speeding regulations by large trucks? Please rank from 1-6; with 1 being the best and 6 being the least effective.
(Ranked by results)
1- Uniform speed limits
2- Increased enforcement
3- More rigid standards for CDL’s
4- Speed limiters
5- Lower speed limits
6- Other; Specify

What do I think? I will comment on questions 4-6-8-9.

Question 4
Many of you on trucking talk radio have made the comments that often the limited trucks don’t slow down in restricted speed areas or in slower speed zones. The drivers confirmed it in the survey saying at 26.2% they always run the posted speed limits when this one is lower then the speed the limiter on the truck allows it.

Question 6
How surprising that the main concern is the lack of passing possibilities with a speed limited truck. I didn’t fall from my chair on that one. Increased congestion behind trucks is a stressful situation while passing on a limited access highway. As a driver, you can’t predict not if but when a four wheeler will jump to pass in the right lane as soon as it is clear to get ahead faster before the big truck can come back to the right lane. Another accident factor.

Question 8
The results speak for them selves. How often, when the financial situation allows a company driver to get his own truck, this driver will lease on with the same carrier? Many carriers will give some incentives based on fuel economy performance to drivers too.

Question 9
It’s interesting to see that uniform speed limits and increased enforcement are way in front of speed limiters when asked about ways to reduce speeding. The speed limiter hits the 4^th rang on this one among drivers that were surveyed.

On the rest, I’ll let you make up your own idea. I would greatly have your comments at
jeancatudal@sympatico.ca

When the news are slow, some creates them!

What more can I say after reading the news in the “Journal de Montreal”, on a poll of 400 persons, which 52% are non-working, asked about the traffic jams in the Montreal area during rush hours. Luckily, I saw the printed edition a few days later. I don’t know any professional truck driver that loves to drive a big rig in any major city at those times of day. If I take the example given about the city of Boston that bans heavy trucks in the city, there is no by-law of that kind in Montreal or Quebec City, I am not aware of one in Chicago or Los Angeles either, a driver with a lick of common sense will avoid a city if he or she does not have to be there. But, no laws bans from using a highway or an Interstate.

Sadly, if I compare the urban area of Montreal with the majority of cities across North America, no government in the past or present has had enough nerves to stand up and put the roadway resources where they were needed. For the past thirty years we have been waiting for a circle road in the greater Montreal. Each time an opposing group got in the way, the government backed off, waited, made a study, and it adds more cost to the project to pay for these studies, meetings and the inflation cost that climbs too.

I am fed up of paying, from my honest and hard work, thousands of dollars in taxes each year, for every kilometre I run with my truck and be treated this way. I could almost put forward that many carriers, large or small, have similar thoughts when we look at the lack of long term vision of our governments.

Did the journalists compare the way we are paid in North America with the European countries that are took as examples? I didn’t see anything on that in what I read.

What comparison is possible between Switzerland, that is 40 times smaller then the Province of Quebec (41,290 Km2 vs. 1,667,926 Km2) with almost the same population. Traffic jams must be heavier for our European cousins. The use of mass transit is part of their way of life. The car is only a princess there, the train is king. If we have here, like in France, a pilot project that would restrain truck traffic to only the right lane, how would other road users would react to merging in or out of an Autoroute? There is no mention in the article that the speed limits for cars in France is higher then on our roads in Quebec, 4 wheelers are going 15-20-25Km/h over the speed limit on A-20! But this is still under the posted speed in France

The best solution is not to ban delivery trucks; this would only create another parking issue, we are only trying to make an honest living. To favour mass transit with incentives, would be a better solution to ease on rush hour traffic. One last data that is not in the paper, there is an increase of over 60% of cars in Quebec.

How to ask a question

I know the title is somewhat awkward on a trucking blog but, it’s the best way I found to relate “polling” and “trucking”. What question are you thinking about? The one that has been asked on the speed limiters for heavy trucks. Yes this is almost an obsession and I am not about to let go either. There is also, at the time these lines are written, 642 others that have signed the online petition, are thinking the same way I am on this topic.

If I was to ask decision makers in the trucking industry the following question:
Do you agree that the activation of the speed limiter on heavy trucks registered in Quebec is a good way to reduce speeding trucks?
Personally, I could be giving a positive answer to that. Mostly if I am a fleet owner that wishes to keep a control on my drivers to make sure they respect the company’s policies.

Notice in the question, some data is missing. The word mandatory is not there, 105Km/h either and also missing is the word all. I know a few company owners and it is in their policies to activate the speed limiter on their fleets so they can have a standard on the operations, the fuel consumption and even, for some, save on the insurance cost. This is a business decision these owners took.

A study* from the American Trucking Research Institute (ATRI) released in March 2007 show that on 148 respondents that turned in their answers, 69% of them do use the speed limiter in their fleets. The average speed is 113Km/h (70moh), for the following reasons:

5% for insurance
8% for safety
18% for fuel economy
69% to respect speed limits

The speed cap chosen is often related to the size of the fleet. The larger the fleet, the lower the speed limit is.

This makes me say that the activation of the speed limiter is and should stay a simple business decision from the owner of the company.

However, if I ask you the following questions:
Do you agree that the mandatory activation of the speed limiter at 105Km/h on all heavy trucks registered in Quebec is a good way to reduce speeding trucks?
My answer would now be a negative one with this comment: "It’s up to the Ministry of Public Security to put more radars on the roads and to the Ministry of Transport to uphold the laws on the book before making new ones”.

Talking about radars and questions, this brings one up. Why are certain groups in this industry, pushing the speed limiter at no more then 105 Km/h issue, also opposes photo-radars?

Do I need to remind you to sign the online petition opposing mandatory speed limiter at no more then 105Km/h? The link to it is in the top right corner of this blog. Make your voice heard

Happy trails to all and run compliant
Jean Catudal

*The results of this study is available online at
www.atri-online.org/research/results/speedGovernorSurvey.pdf

Your support is needed now more then ever

Thursday September 27^th, I had the honours to bring the message to the cabinet of the Minister of Transport for all that are in not in favour of a mandated speed limiter for all heavy trucks licensed in Quebec. Your part of the message is now needed as a follow-up with the Minister Boulet either by downloading the one that is proposed or in your own words. The link for the French letter is on the right side under the link for the petition. You only have to put the date and your name, phone number at the bottom, your signature that’s all.

The fax to the Minister’s office is (514) 873-7886

A first part of the petition has been presented at the meeting. Jacques Plante of Livraison Spécial and Me Patrick Doyon, representing OBAC, were accompanying me that day. Top ranking officers of the Minister and of the Premier’s office are following the progression of the petition. So it is still time to put your name to it and share the link.

OBAC also recommends you to forward the letter to these persons

Mario Dumont, Chief of the opposition Fax: (418) 528-9479
Pauline Marois, Chief of Parti Québécois Fax: (418) 643-2957
Pierre Gingras, ADQ Transport Critic Fax: (418) 646-7809
Your Member of Parliament

The information to you MP is available on the National Assembly's web site
www.assnat.qc.ca/eng/Membres/deputes_lst.html

If you don’t know the name of your MP, or your county, you can find it at
www.electionsquebec.qc.ca/en/find_electoral_division.asp

You have the choice to look up by either your postal code or a map.
All the information are there, address, phone, fax email.

If you can live with this mandate but are against the principle, send you support letter. If your dream is to have your own truck one day, support the message too.

Thank you!