The BC Highway Patrol says more than 100 commercial vehicle inspections over two days earlier this month found 543 defects, and resulted in a combined $18,700 worth of fines and bylaw tickets handed out.
“Too many commercial drivers are still bending the rules by driving broken trucks and trailers,” said Cpl. Michael McLaughlin. “These inspections are part of our commitment to address road safety concerns from the public. People are right to expect the best from professional drivers.”
The safety blitz, held in conjunction with the Ministry of Transportation and Transit’s Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement (CVSE), Burnaby RCMP, Coquitlam RCMP and Coquitlam Bylaws, was held on July 8 and 9.
The more than 540 defects were found in a total of 109 inspected vehicles. Of those, 58 vehicles were taken out of service and off the roads, the BC Highway Patrol says.
“Among the violations was a driving school tractor (truck) that had non-compliant front brakes, a dump truck with holes in the bed that leaked its load onto the road, bald and badly worn tires, and bent and damaged wheel rims,” the police agency said on Wednesday.
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But McLaughlin says the blitz’s results do not reflect the entire trucking industry.
“We know most commercial vehicle drivers take safety seriously, and the public should know that these numbers are not representative of most professional truck drivers,” he explained.
