Ontario Opens $30M Commercial Vehicle Inspection Station
[Stay on top of transportation news: Get TTNews in your inbox.]
Canada’s Ontario province has opened a new commercial vehicle inspection station for trucks traveling westbound on Highway 11/17, a primary Trans-Canada Highway route, into the Port of Thunder Bay.
In Shuniah, the $30 million facility is part of the province’s plan to improve road safety and deliver faster and better transit infrastructure in the north. The station features advanced technology to identify potential problems with commercial motor vehicles, such as underinflated tires and malfunctioning brakes.
“The new Shuniah commercial vehicle inspection station will help reduce the risk of accidents, protect everyone on the road and ensure the safe movement of goods across northern Ontario,” Prabmeet Sarkaria, minister of transportation, said recently.
Commercial motor vehicles passing through Ontario highways are subject to mandatory roadside safety inspections. Ontario has 6,835 miles of provincial highways and 34 inspection stations where enforcement officers inspect commercial vehicles “and monitor the behavior and qualifications of drivers,” a government statement noted.
Sarkaria
Last year, Ontario increased its enforcement on highways 11, 17, 144 and 101. Officers conducted 4,000 inspections that placed more than 1,000 vehicles out of service and issued 3,200 violation charges, including 700 for speeding.
“This new facility is an excellent example of our partner’s commitment to ensuring commercial vehicles meet all safety requirements and our joint efforts to reduce the number of commercial vehicle-related collisions and save lives on our roads,” said Rohan Thompson, the province’s police deputy commissioner and commander of traffic safety and operational support.
Landry
Wendy Landry, Shuniah mayor and president of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association, welcomed the government investment in the commercial vehicle inspection station near Thunder Bay.
She said the station is needed “to address highway safety concerns and accidents on Highway 11/17. It will ensure vehicles are inspected to guarantee their safety and slow drivers down to take a rest while their vehicle is being examined.”
An average of 8,400 trucks travel each day on the northern provincial highway network and move 87,000 metric tons of cargo valued at more than $200 million. Truckers drive about 217 miles daily on the northern portion of the provincial highway network.
The municipal township of Shuniah near Thunder Bay in Ontario. (Google Maps)
The province’s key industries are mining, forestry, agriculture and manufacturing. The government has identified a need to build and maintain a reliable transportation network for companies to move goods to destinations faster and more efficiently.
Ontario government officials also plan to improve travel for truck drivers in the province by building 10 new rest areas and repairing or expanding 14 existing facilities along provincial highways.
Want more news? Listen to today's daily briefing below or go here for more info:
