There isn’t a person living in Canada who doesn’t think we’re over-regulated to some degree. However, for certain industries, there’s no downside to putting safety first by invoking a strict and comprehensive set of regulations to govern the industry. That’s especially true when it comes to heavy-haul trucking companies.
There’s No Gain to Breaking Rules in Heavy Equipment Shipping
If you’ve ever been in a commuter passenger vehicle and driven alongside a transport hauling a flatbed load of oversized steel parts or massive spools of metal, then you know what it’s like to appreciate strict rules for heavy haul carriers in Ontario. The potential for disaster when heavy haul trucking companies are sharing Ontario’s 400 series highways with cars and unskilled drivers is just too great. We’ve seen the damages and carnage that can occur when trucks are involved in road disasters. Loss of cargo is nothing compared to loss of life.
For that reason alone, it’s important to follow oversized load regulations to avoid catastrophe but also extra costs from fines. Every province in Canada is strictly regulated when it comes to hauling heavy, overweight, over-dimensional loads on provincial roads and highways. Each has its own classification of permits that get issued to companies hauling heavy loads. There is no national one-sized-fits-all regulation; what is allowed in terms of weight, length, height, overhang, strapping, loading, unloading and other details is determined provincially – and sometimes, municipally. Some local municipalities have strict rules on where heavy haul carriers in Ontario can travel within the city. No one wants big rigs leaving a local industrial park and barreling through a reduced-speed school zone. Regulations are established so such anomalies don’t happen.
Carriers moving interprovincially in Canada are responsible for obtaining the requisite permits from each province they hope to haul in. Working with a qualified 3PL is one way to handle the administration of such things to a third party. However, it’s ultimately the responsibility of the person behind the wheel to make sure they’re hauling within the guidelines set out by the province. As loads get larger the administration required gets more complications; if you’re hoping to haul an oversized load you may require a qualified escort and very strict routing. Any deviation from that route could result in massive fines – even more if an accident occurs.
Work With NATS Canada to Ensure Regulatory Compliance
In Ontario, a truck is legally allowed to load 12,000 lbs on the steering axle, 39,600 lbs on a tandem axle, and 59,400 lbs on a tridem axle for a total gross weight of 111,000 lbs. When requesting a permit all those numbers have to be listed. If a driver rolls out with a load that has been changed in any way, those original permits are no longer valid. Compliance has to be ensured throughout the entire process.
The experts at NATS Canada work with a vast network of heavy haul trucking companies across Canada and North America. We can ensure all regulations and safety requirements are followed to the letter.