The ministry added it does not have plans to turn Highway 5A into a scenic route. “Commercial vehicles use Highway 5A for a number of reasons: local deliveries, economic opportunities (forestry, agriculture), fuel reductions, preferable weather,” the ministry said in a statement. The ministry said it has spent $13.5 million in safety and reliability improvements on the highway since 2004 and that serious collisions have declined as a result. In 2004, there were 36 reported collisions along the route, the ministry said, compared to an average of 13 annual collisions per year between 2011 and 2019, with five on average involving commercial vehicles. In addition, the ministry said the speed limit was reviewed in 2014 and determined to be appropriate. Provincial Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement officers “frequently” patrol the route, the ministry said, and find commercial vehicles generally comply with posted speed limits.
BC Trucking Association wants more drivers vaccinated; eyeing partnerships with neighbouring states
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BC Trucking Association President, Dave Earle would like more drivers vaccinated for COVID-19, even if that means potentially heading south of the border to do so.
Recently, the Manitoba Government and the State of North Dakota launched a joint initiative to vaccinate essential workers – this saw truck drivers in that province head to the neighboring state to receive their first dose.
According to the Ministry of Health, BC does not have agreements in place with states like Washington, Alaska, or Idaho – something Earle would like to see changed.
Trucking association aims to get B.C. drivers vaccinated in Washington state
British Columbian truck drivers moving goods in and out of the United States could soon be getting their COVID-19 vaccines if the B.C. Trucking Association is successful in its efforts to strike a deal with officials south of the border.
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Posted: Apr 26, 2021 12:14 PM PT | Last Updated: April 26
North Dakota is offering Manitoba truck drivers the opportunity to get vaccinated in the United States. The president of the B.C. Trucking Association says he is speaking with officials in Washington to try to set up a similar program for B.C. drivers.(THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
At its regular board meeting on Thursday, April 22, the regional district board voted to write a letter in support of the request from Stump Lake Ranch. NRD Area P (Rivers and the Peaks) director Mel Rothenburger said safety concerns can be seen in news headlines of accidents on the winding highway, which he noted often include the term “fiery crash.” Barriere Mayor Ward Stamer said he had a logging company, noting Highway 5A was not built for lumber trucks. “Common sense says those trucks should be kept off Highway 5A and kept to the Coquihalla [Highway, also known as Highway 4],” Rothenburger said.
Mandatory entry-level training to be required for commercial trucking licence
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The B.C. Government is implementing mandatory entry-level training (MELT) for new Class 1 commercial driver’s licence applications starting this October.
According to the Province, the shift will exceed the minimum requirements for entry-level training of Class 1 drivers by the National Safety Code Standard.
“Having mandatory entry-level commercial vehicle training will result in better-trained new drivers and improved road safety for everyone in British Columbia,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “We’ve worked collaboratively with the trucking industry to create a new MELT program for B.C. that will strengthen the industry and prepare drivers to operate safely across B.C.’s challenging climates.”