The B.C. government invites commercial vehicle drivers, owners and owner/operators in the industry to provide input on proposed changes to modernize safety regulations for commercial vehicles.

The Province is proposing changes to Division 37 - Safety Code of the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations to improve road safety:

As of June 12, 2021, commercial vehicles that cross provincial borders will be required to be equipped with an electronic logging device (ELD). In response to these changes to the federal Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations, B.C. is looking for industry input to help determine what the requirements will be for commercial vehicles operating within the province.

National Safety Code (NSC) Standard 13 - Trip Inspections has not yet been adopted by B.C. Currently, under Part 4 of Division 37, many B.C. drivers and carriers are already required to complete trip inspection reports and use pre-printed or electronic reports that mirror the requirements of NSC Standard 13. The adoption of NSC Standard 13 would harmonize B.C. with the rest of Canada and provide clarity for commercial vehicle operators in the province.

At the same time, the Province is also seeking industry feedback to inform a decision on mandating the use of speed limiters for commercial vehicles already subject to hours of service.

The adoption of speed limiters in B.C. can have benefits, including improvements to safety, fuel savings and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Quebec and Ontario enacted speed limiter laws over a decade ago. Recent analysis by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has shown the effect on travel times by a lowered travel speed on highways posted over 110 km/h is likely to be minimal, between one to 13 minutes per corridor.

Additional information regarding ELDs, NSC Standard 13 and speed limiters can be found in the following NSC bulletin. It is recommended that the bulletin be reviewed prior to completing the questionnaire: http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/cvse/national_safety_code/bulletins/NSC_Bulletin_02-2020_Modernizing_Safety_Regulations.pdf

Before final decisions are made, it is important to hear from those in the commercial transport industry. The survey is open from April 15 to May 31, 2020. It is available online here: https://feedback.engage.gov.bc.ca/821877