CTA report listed the interprovincial barriers slowing trucking

In October 2023, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) released a report, Interprovincial Trade Barriers in Trucking, based on input from more than 4,500 respondents. The CTA said it wanted to discuss the findings with Dominic LeBlanc, the federal minister of intergovernmental affairs.

CTA chairman Greg Munden said fixing the barriers would help fight non-compliance and level the playing field for responsible carriers.

Barriers identified

• Winter road maintenance and rest areas. The report said each 1 km/h drop below a truck's average operating speed cuts efficiency by about 1.25%, and each hour a truck sits idle cuts efficiency by 7% to 10%. It said rest areas should be 80 to 160 kilometres apart, and identified key highways where they were not.
• Quebec's Highway 185. The CTA called for twinning a road often described as one of Canada's most dangerous. It said twinning would allow long combination vehicles (LCVs) to run between Halifax and Toronto, and noted the project had funding but had been delayed.
• LCVs and oversize loads. The report called for harmonized LCV rules across Western Canada, faster electronic permitting for oversize and overweight loads, and consistent definitions, such as for sunrise and sunset.
• Other items. Inconsistent spring weight restrictions, stronger oversight of truck safety, better cell coverage, access to trade data, and a central motor carrier database that could include checks on labour and tax compliance.