Truckers and commercial vehicles entering Canada on Highway 15 will benefit from the launch of Weigh2GoBC services at the Pacific Highway Inspection Station near 4th Ave. in Surrey.

The inspection station now features Automatic-Vehicle-Identification technology (AVI). As a vehicle carrying a registered transponder approaches an AVI-enabled station, it is identified and checked electronically for insurance and safety credentials and compliance with the regulations. The driver is then given a green light that allows the vehicle to bypass that station or a red light that means the vehicle must report. The vehicle will not need to repeat the inspection farther along the route.

The benefits to industry include bypass opportunities at all subsequent W2G equipped stations. For example, commercial traffic travelling north from the Canada-U.S. border into the Lower Mainland can be inspected at the Pacific station and then bypass the Nordel Inspection Station.

Vehicles heading north or east will be able to bypass multiple stations including Hope, Quesnel and Prince George or Kamloops and Golden depending on the destination. This all happens while the vehicle is travelling at highway speeds, saving time and fuel.

The system enables more efficient movement of commercial vehicles throughout the province. Registration in the program includes carriers and vehicles from Alberta's Partners-in-Compliance program and a data-sharing program with Washington State for reciprocal bypass benefits.

Weigh2GoBC technology was installed at the Pacific Inspection Station at a cost of $80,000. Three more stations are scheduled to come online this year.

Quotes:

Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Todd Stone -

"The Weigh2GoBC system results in substantial time and fuel savings for operators. To date, it has saved industry more than $4 million and prevented 275,000 kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the environment."

President and CEO of BC Trucking Association Louise Yako -

"The time and fuel savings offered by the program can be considerable, and we encourage all B.C. carriers to visit the Weigh2GoBC website to find out if they are eligible for the program and enroll if they are."

To learn more Weigh2GoBC: www.weigh2gobc.ca

A backgrounder follows.

Media Contact:

Kate Trotter
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
250 356-8241

BACKGROUNDER

Weigh2GoBC

• Weigh2GoBC is a network of Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) and Automatic-Vehicle-Identification (AVI) technologies designed to enable more efficient movement of commercial vehicles in B.C.

• The Pacific Inspection Station is a port of entry station located on Highway 15 near the Canadian/U.S. border. The station currently employs eight inspectors.

• Staff at the Pacific Inspection Station check approximately 10,000 commercial vehicles a month, about half of those registered in the United States.

• Aside from AVI, all carriers and vehicles still face random checks based on the vehicle's National Safety Code (NSC) rating and past performance.

• The current Weigh2GoBC program includes the following stations:

• Laidlaw (Hope Eastbound) (WIM equipped)
• Hunter Creek (Hope Westbound) (AVI equipped)
• Kamloops Eastbound (AVI equipped)
• Kamloops Westbound (AVI equipped)
• Golden Eastbound (WIM equipped)
• Golden Westbound (WIM Equipped)
• Nordel - Alex Fraser Bridge Southbound (AVI equipped)
• Nordel - Nordel Way Westbound (AVI Equipped)
• Red Rock (Prince George) Northbound (WIM equipped)
• Red Rock (Prince George) Southbound (WIM equipped)
• Quesnel Northbound (AVI equipped)
• Quesnel Southbound (AVI equipped)
• Pacific Highway 15 Northbound (AVI equipped)

• Coming in 2013-14

• Vanderhoof Highway 16 Westbound (AVI equipped)
• Vanderhoof Highway 16 Eastbound (AVI equipped)
• Vanderhoof Highway 27 Southbound (AVI equipped)

Media Contact:

Kate Trotter
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
250 356-8241