Ontario, Quebec sign agreement on vehicle configurations

TORONTO and QUEBEC CITY (Sept. 4, 2000) — Ontario and Quebec have agreed to harmonize weights and dimensions for commercial vehicle configurations that commonly operate between the two provinces.

The deal would create standards for three configurations: tandem tractors and semi-trailers at 18,000 kg; tridem semi-trailers at 24,000 or 26,000 kg, depending on the axle spread, to be phased-in over five years; and four-axle semi-trailers at 32,000 or 34,000 kg, depending on axle spread. One axle must be self-steering.

The agreement is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2001. However, in Ontario, legislative changes are required before the proposal will become law.

The provinces also agreed to establish a 10-year permit regime to accommodate the period of transition, and to extend Ontario’s limited trial of 53-foot four-axle semi-trailers with a self-steering axles to Quebec.

Furthermore, the agreement commits the two provinces to research on-board monitoring technology for axle weights, vehicle speeds, and hours of service. Testing would begin by 2003.

In Ontario, many of the regulatory initiatives centre around liftable axles and their impact on road surfaces. Raising an axle to negotiate a corner, for example, can severely overload remaining axles. Lift-axles are common on highway trailers in Ontario.

Ontario agreed to reduce allowable weights on non-dump triaxle semi-trailers (three-axle semi-trailers that typically include a standard lift-axle) by 3000 kg starting in 2006 (except some very specialized tankers). Further reduction of 1500 kg will occur after 2011, depending on type of trailer.

The province will establish a specific penalty for lift-axle violations and issue permits system to screen, control, and monitor vehicles that have a minor weight or dimensional variance from the existing regulations.