CAW port truckers up in arms Vancouver’s truck route plans

VANCOUVER — Some local truckers aren’t happy with a new plan to re-route port-bound trucks through the city.

The disgruntled truckers are members of the Vancouver Containers Truckers’ Association, which is part of the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) union.

And the rerouting plan they’re disgruntled about is designed to ease congestion in neighborhoods around the Port of Vancouver.

Officially, the re-routing is in the pilot-project stage and starts August 25. After three months, the scheme will be assessed and either maintained, altered or scrapped.

But according to local media reports, the president of the association Paul Uppal says that the revised routing could add anywhere 20 minutes to an hour to a trucker’s drive time.

Uppal has the support of the B.C. Trucking Association. Louise Yako, president and CEO says that the congestion problem is more like an enforcement problem, which should be addressed by the city and meanwhile, truckers should be able to use whatever legal route is most efficient.

According to Port Metro Vancouver, the proposed changes will mean that trucks can access the South Shore terminals via the following route: Clark Drive to Hastings Street; Hastings to Cassiar (Highway 1); Cassier to Bridgeway; Bridgeway to McGill Street.