CRASH Critics Stir Safety Debate in Canada

Canada, usually an oasis of calm, finds itself in a tempest lately over the proposed revisions to its hours-of-service rules.

CRASH — Canadians for Reliable and Safety Highways — is at the center of the controversy. The Ottawa-based organization successfully lobbied 90 Ontario municipalities to pass resolutions opposing the Canadian hours-of-service changes. Those resolutions, however, do not carry the force of law.

On its Web site, CRASH describes itself as an association “dedicated to making sure that the concerns of the general public and taxpayers are heard about the safety, environmental and financial impacts of big truck operations on public roads.” But on Feb. 6, the Canadian television program “Undercurrents” found that the organization is funded by corporate interests — including the railroad industry, an old nemesis of trucking.

In spite of the fuss, government lawyers at Transport Canada are above the fray, busily scratching out the draft of the final proposal for review by the provinces later this year, said Brian Orrbine, senior policy adviser on motor carriers.

For the full story, see the Aug. 21 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.