Commercial Vehicles

A new commercial vehicle driver is pulling a B-train with the rear trailer loaded and the first trailer empty ... at least that's the way I understand it.

He is driving from Alberta to BC and claims to be getting stuck in the winter conditions. I believe this load should be illegal but can't find any regs covering it.

Question: I just a call from a trucker this morning whose friend (also a truck driver) had her log book and ferry receipts taken by an officer at a road block who then refused to give them back to her. Is this a standard policy from your recollection?

Do you drive a truck with a GVW over 5,000 kg, a bus, any vehicle required to have a Motor Carrier or Passenger Transportation licence or a business vehicle with a GVW over 5,000 kg?

I drive a semi tractor trailer for a living. I was wondering what cops' take is on slowly rolling through a stop sign at 5 kph, after scanning the intersection in a rural area and seeing no traffic.

I've always wondered how well the underride protection at the back of heavy commercial trailers would work, but I was never called on to investigate a collision like this. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has produced a video that shows these underride prevention structures provide poor protection when built to US standards and only slightly better protection when built to Canadian standards.

Grant Aune of Advantage Fleet Services explains the difference between "doing what you're told" and "doing what you have to". In this case he is using the example of load security and explains that the load may only require four tie downs by law, but you may choose to use more because you know that you don't want the load to move, so you are doing it for the right reasons.

I was listening to the investigation of a driving complaint unfold the other day. A member of the public had complained about the way a business vehicle was being driven and the constable had asked the dispatcher to inquire about the driver with the business. "He's a pretty bad driver" the dispatcher relayed from the business owner, "he should probably get a ticket."

Colliding with the rear or side of a commercial vehicle can be more than a headache. Currently North American standards have required a stronger rear underride protection, but there is no requirement at all for side underride protection. This video illustrates the hazard and demonstrates the added protection for side underride protection currently mandated in Europe.

This case decides liability after a collision between a cyclist and a large commercial truck. Christina MacEachern was riding or walking beside a bicycle along the King George Highway in Surrey, B.C. She was opposing traffic on the shoulder of the roadway which was narrow due to vehicles parked next to it.

The other day I was following a bus. He put on his four way flashers and pulled completely off the road into a bus stop, so I proceeded to pass. When I was beside the bus, he pulled out and I had to swerve to avoid a collision. They do have a yield sign on the back of the bus, but don't they have to re-enter traffic yielding just like anyone else on the road?