Did you know that there are over 1.3 million registered commercial vehicles on the roads in Canada? Commercial vehicles such as trucks and buses are a vital part of transporting goods and people around the country. Given their size and weight, it’s no surprise that regulations are in place to protect infrastructure, property, and people from the dangers associated with commercial vehicle use.
It’s vital to always know and follow the limits for each vehicle configuration in your fleet. To cut through the complexity of overlapping rules and regulations, we’ll also look at how the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) helps keep rules consistent nationwide.
Why Do Commercial Vehicle Weights and Dimensions Matter in Canada?
There are many real-world examples of what can go wrong when the commercial vehicle regulations for Canada are ignored or misjudged. Here are just a few:
- A bridge outside Kemnay, MB, has taken the tops off so many commercial vehicles that ignored height restrictions that it’s earned the nickname the “Kemnay Can Opener”. These incidents amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars when you add up the costs of infrastructure damage, lost time, and ruined products
- An overpass outside Edmonton, AB, suffered damage to its concrete support system when a truck hauling an excavator struck it from underneath. This happened on the heels of a similar incident on the very same overpass that cost $2.3M to repair and disrupted traffic for over a year
- In July 2020, sheriffs monitored the aging Vinca Bridge in Sturgeon County, AB. In just two days, they caught three commercial vehicles grossly exceeding the clearly posted limit. The drivers were fined staggering amounts, $15,904, $21,307, and $23,180
You can see in these examples that non-compliance with commercial vehicle weights and dimensions can carry serious safety, legal, and financial risks.
In a more general sense:
- Overweight or oversized vehicles are harder to control and result in more serious crashes
- Trucks that do not respect axle weight limits and are heavier than the road is designed for cause road rutting, bridge or overpass damage, and costly repairs over time
Commercial vehicle compliance protects your goods and the truck itself by allowing for proper weight distribution and no extra wear and tear on the truck itself. As an employer, preventing these types of incidents protects drivers, cargo, roads, and your company’s reputation.
Why Are Vehicle Dimensions Important for Safety Compliance?
Weight might get the headlines, but dimensions are just as critical. Height, width, and length all affect whether a vehicle can safely operate on a given route.
- Overheight vehicles risk bridge strikes or overhead collisions
- Overwidth loads can cause lane encroachment and traffic hazards
- Overlength configurations make tight turns nearly impossible in urban settings
Remind your drivers to review height, width, and length limits for every planned route and to confirm that their vehicle configurations comply with provincial and MOU regulations.
What Is the MOU for Commercial Vehicles in Canada?
Even when you’re following the rules, it can still be difficult to identify which set of regulations apply to you and your fleet, especially since each province has its own rules for commercial vehicle weight and size.
Because so much freight crosses provincial borders, there is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to make compliance more straightforward. The MOU sets out standard weight and dimension rules for eligible commercial vehicles on designated highways across the country.
These standards apply only when vehicles meet all MOU conditions, so employers must verify whether each planned route is covered by the MOU or if it falls under local/provincial regulations. In the MOU, you can find the outlined designated highways and also the weight and dimension limits for each commercial vehicle configuration.
How Can Employers Improve Compliance with Weight and Dimensions Regulations?
Compliance with commercial vehicle safety regulations in Canada protects your drivers, your cargo, the roads, and your professional reputation. Employers can improve compliance by:
- Providing regular weights and dimensions training
- Ensuring drivers understand the MOU and local regulations
- Using pre-trip checklists that include weight and dimension verification
- Planning routes carefully to avoid low bridges and seasonal restrictions
While you need your whole team on board, compliance really does start at the top with a culture of safety and respect for rules and regulations.
Want a Smarter, Safer Fleet?
If your organization needs more compliance support than a single blog post can provide, BIS Safety Software offers a comprehensive course on Weights and Dimensions of Commercial Vehicles.
This training goes in-depth on commercial trucking regulations in Canada, helping your fleet stay compliant, safe, and efficient.
Contact us today to get started!
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