top of page
SBP CB banner .jpg
Writer's pictureHarry Rudolfs

Halton Regional Police commercial truck safety blitz puts 96 vehicles out of service, three alcohol-

Halton Regional Police Services (HRPS) held their annual commercial truck inspection blitz at Mohawk Raceway on October 6 and 7. This is biggest yearly safety blitz in the area, involving approximately 50 truck inspection officers from several police services as well as inspectors from the Ministry of Transport.


Starting at 7 a.m. Tuesday, police cruisers from HRPS and the OPP fanned out across the 401 and regional roads looking for vehicles that could benefit from a safety inspection. After an initial traffic stop, the officers provide an escort for the targeted vehicles to the raceway parking lot.


We're not just talking big trucks, many of the inspected vehicles were two tons or smaller, often pick-up trucks owned by contractors who didn't have their loads strapped down properly. The line-up also included one camper trailer with a wiring harness problem, along with a steady stream of tractor trailers and gravel trucks.


One small single-axle trailer pulled by an SUV didn't have the proper registration, was missing a pin on the coupling knuckle (a major safety defect), and the side door was held closed with a cable tie. On top of that, the cargo consisted of stacked trays of hundreds of tiny yellow chicks peeping plaintive distress calls waiting to be transferred to a compliant conveyance.


Staff Sgt. Ryan Snow of Halton Regional Police Services was expecting to see about 30 percent of the vehicles deemed out-of-service. “That doesn't mean that three or four trucks out of ten on the road aren't safe. Our officers have a pretty good eye for what they should take a look at. It means that we're usually right three or four times out of ten in identifying those vehicles that ultimately end up out of service. We see a mixture of issues at these events; mechanical problems, brakes out of adjustment, hydraulics.”


Besides supplying all the required paperwork including log books and inspection reports, every commercial driver was required to provide a breath sample. “All commercial vehicle drivers are required to have zero blood alcohol. We also have the ability to screen for drugs on site as well,” said Snow.


A portable scale was also set up on site. “I got a couple of small tickets,” said one gravel truck driver who was waiting for a mechanic. “One of my brakes is out of adjustment and I'm a little bit overweight.”|


Final results of the two day blitz were slightly lower than the 30 percent out-of-service vehicles predicted by Snow. Of the 340 total inspections, 96 vehicles were put out-of-service for a total of 28 percent overall. As well, 250 charges were laid and seven sets of plates were seized. “It seems to be off by a little,” added Snow. “The weather this morning didn't cooperate and where the numbers were slightly less, I think, is proportional to the lower number of officers we had working. We can only do so much volume based or on our staff, less we risk having trucks backed up down Campbellville Road.”


Snow also added that three-alcohol based licence suspensions were issued to commercial drivers on the last day of the blitz. “The first one occurred at 8:17 in the morning,” he said. “Last year we ended up with one alcohol suspension and one suspension for cannabis. In other small blitzes we've arrested drivers for having excess blood alcohol, that's over 80. Clearly, there are commercial operators out there that are driving while under the influence.”





Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page