Mandatory Activation of Speed
Limiters on Trucks Gets Green Light from Ontario Government
Ontario Trucking Association applauds move which
it says will improve safety and reduce GHG emissions.
(Toronto: July 3, 2007) - Ontario Transportation
Minister, Donna Cansfield, has announced that the Government of Ontario will
introduce legislation after this fall’s provincial election to adopt a proposal
put forward by the Ontario Trucking Association almost two years ago to make it
a mandatory requirement for virtually all tractor trailer units that operate
into, out of and within Ontario to activate their speed limiters so that a truck
will not be able to exceed 105 km per hour. In so doing, Ontario is the first
jurisdiction in North America to formally announce its commitment to legislate
such a requirement. Quebec has proposed the measure as part of its climate
change plan and other trucking associations throughout North America are
endorsing speed limiter proposals consistent with OTA’s and now the Ontario
government’s policy. A number of jurisdictions, including the US Department of
Transport and Transport Canada are studying the issue and groups like OTA are
hopeful that now that Ontario is officially on board, others will follow and
eventually a North American standard can be achieved.
However, for now, OTA President David Bradley, says
"this is a great step forward for highway safety and for the environment."
"Even though truck drivers are on the whole the least
likely to be excessively speeding, the means exist through activation of speed
limiters to virtually eliminate it and to improve lane discipline at the same
time," he said.
"The trucking industry is showing real leadership in
supporting strong measures to eradicate speeding. Our drivers are professionals
and we don’t feel we need to use up scarce police resources catching speeding
trucks when most trucks already come equipped with the technology to control
speed."
He said he hopes tough measures will also be
introduced to curb speeding by other motorists, especially in light of the
tragic death of truck driver, David Virgoe, who died on June 18 as the result of
an alleged speed racing incident involving two cars. "Car drivers need to slow
down as well, but someone needs to lead the way and it might as well be the
trucking industry which already has the safest drivers and vehicles on the
road," he said.
Bradley admitted that the OTA proposal has at times
been a controversial one within the industry, with some truck drivers and
companies being opposed. However, he says "the fact is more than half the trucks
on the road are already governed because it makes such good sense. I have been
struck by the level of support for this measure from within the industry, from
drivers and from fleets of all sizes both from Ontario and those based
elsewhere. I am confident that in time most of those who are opposed will see
the merit, just as happened after seat belts were made mandatory.
"
The minister has said that she will take the summer to
work with stakeholders to prepare the legislation and iron out details of how
the mandate will be applied.
"Minister Cansfield deserves a lot of credit,”
says Bradley. “She has been supportive of our plan all along and has
worked hard to hear everyone’s point of view, including the police and even the
few groups who indicated they had concerns with or were opposed to what we were
trying to accomplish. She always told us to keep the
faith.”
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