Speed Limiter Rescind? Possibly!

That is what declared MPP Frank Klees to Land Line’s David Tanner. Klees is also running for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party in Ontario. The other good news, he is not alone to have that view. MPP Randy Hillier has it too!

I’ll let my good friend David tell you more about it. Just follow the link below to his fine report on OOIDA’s Land Line Magazine web site

http://www.landlinemag.com/Special_Reports/2009/May09/052809_ll_exclusive.htm

Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? Looks like someone turned it on!

Class 1, Class 6, Two Different Classes of Citizens in Quebec

Here in the “Distinct Society” of Quebec, this is the way our drivers licences are rated. A “Class 1” is the equivalent of Ontario’s A-Z or the U.S. CDL. Let’s go back in history to make sense of the title. In the late 1990’s, many owner-operators had started a protest movement in many places around the province. High priced fuel, low rates, no contracts regulations were the main griefs. Bloquing roads, ports, refineries and just plain parking of the rigs had, within a few days some regions with empty store shelves, empty gas tanks and citizens complaining. The answer came from the National Assembly of Quebec very fast.

That answer from the elected Parti Québecois was a modification to the Highway Safety Code (Code de la sécurité routière) with Bill 130 that stopped in it’s tracks any form of roadside demonstrations. After all, we are only making our livings by hauling freight and as long as the freight is there, nobody really cares what happens to the professional driver.

About 20 years ago, the SAAQ modified the driver’s permit to different classes and sub classes. Class 1, as said previously is for commercial drivers, 2 busses, 3 straight trucks, 4 working vehicles, 5 automobiles-campers, 6 motorcycles. There is a few others for snowmobiles, scooters and farm tractors. Trying to balance their budgets and manage the risks, three years ago the SAAQ announced that motorcyclists, being a higher risk of bodily injuries, will pay more for their plates, already overpriced, and drivers permits, if on the permit. For some racer type bike with an engine over 401cc, the total cost of registration with the mandatory insurance is now at $1030.00 for this year.

All bikers, including myself, are outraged by a raise of 300% of the licencing fee. So, there is a few that decided to organise some protests by rolling on the major highways of the province at minimum legal speeds. This creates a line of bikes for kilometres. I agree with the protests, being a motorcyclist. But, being also a trucker, I am wondering when our government is going to slam to them a special law like they did to us in the late 90’s.

Don’t get me wrong, I do not send my complaints to the groups of motorcyclists, I am aiming at the government that is creating, again, two classes of citizens.

LCV’s, Does it ring a bell?

“LCV” is the short for “Long Combination Vehicle” or as more commonly called Road Trains.

On June 24^th of 2007, if you go and look at the archive of this blog, I was writing about it and leaving you to think about the subject. Last week the Government of Ontario by the voice of the Transportation Minister announced the start of a pilot program. About one hundred special permits to haul LCV’s will be issued to carriers making the demand. The OTA and the PMTC will overlook the distribution of these permits during the pilot program.

To obtain an LCV permit, a carrier must

-Have an exemplary safety record

-Be a member of either association

The permits will be given by lottery and up to fifty carriers can apply for them. A limit of two permits by carrier. Nothing is said if less carriers line up demands how many permits they can get.

The web site of the MTO talks about SPIF for “Safe and Productive Infrastructure Friendly”.

What do I think about it?

Some of my comments I shall keep for myself. The reasons given by all parties involved are an increase of productivity, less fuel and, here again, less GHG’s, fewer trucks on the road, reduced transport costs.

The average Joe Roaduser reading the paper will be happy to read that 2800 trucks are going to be removed from the roadways but, nowhere is it explain to him that the trucks replacing them are going to be over 125 foot or 38 meters long. Me, as a truck driver, I see 2800 less jobs. The carriers could take advantage to increase their profit but again, this may happen on the back of the one driving the rigs.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not opposed to LCV’s, I am against the idea to have double responsibility, having a greater fuel expense, if you are an owner operator leased to a carrier, and not getting a fair and equitable rate. Do a simple math. If accordingly to the OTA in the press release (http://ontruck.org/news/releases/2009/prel_2009_04_17_073049_r.php3), a LCV runs at 30% less fuel then two trucks, a fair and equitable rate should be a 70% premium of you r regular rate for hauling an LCV before fuel surcharge. For company drivers I have only one comment, Negotiate a wage worth the extra responsibility.

I’ll leave you on these thoughts…