A provincial trucking organization is reiterating its calls for government action to improve enforcement actions against rogue operators, non-compliant carriers and improperly trained drivers
The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) recently relaunched its provincial safety campaign – Stop Illegal Trucking – calling on the provincial government to fully deploy the enforcement effort needed to protect Ontario families, honest businesses, and workers from the consequences of illegal trucking and non-compliant carriers.
Despite commitments from the government of Ontario to address serious gaps in the province’s trucking oversight system, much more needs to be done, according to a statement issued by the OTA. Rogue operators continue to exploit those gaps. Non-compliant carriers are undercutting honest businesses. Undertrained drivers are sharing the road with Ontario families.
OTA is asking:
- All 34 Ontario truck inspection stations to be open 24/7 with fully staffed enforcement teams. OTA’s proposal would achieve this by 2029.
- Mandatory onsite inspections for every carrier operating in Ontario.
- Real consequences for non-compliant operators who exploit the current gaps.
- Completion of the commercial driver training review and stronger licensing standards.
- A level playing field for honest small businesses being undercut by non-compliant operators carrying a 30% cost advantage built on misclassified drivers and unpaid taxes.
“The government has made some commitments. Now we need to see them fully delivered and continue to expand oversight,” said Mark Bylsma, Chair of the OTA. “Currently, only three of Ontario’s 34 truck inspection stations operate 24/7. Rogue operators know exactly when the scales are closed and plan around it. Every day these gaps remain, unsafe carriers can slip through the cracks, and another Ontario family is put at risk.”
To ensure the safety fitness of all trucking companies, OTA for years has asked the province to conduct basic on-site facility inspections of every trucking company operating in Ontario. About 80 percent of carriers have never received even a basic safety review by the province.
“Every food service provider in Ontario is checked regularly to ensure they are complying with health and safety rules,” said Marco Beghetto, VP of Communications for OTA. “We firmly believe Ontarians expect the province to apply at least the same level of oversight to carriers operating 140,000-pound trucks alongside their families on the road.”
Opponents of increased oversight wrongly insist increased safety enforcement will add costs for small businesses during an already challenging economic climate, according to the OTA. But Ontarians and honest small and medium-sized carriers say that argument overlooks the far greater cost of allowing non-compliant operators to continue undermining the industry, the OTA said.
“OTA is not calling for any new laws – just consistent enforcement of the rules already on the books, which many responsible companies comply with. Most legitimate trucking businesses already invest significant time and resources meeting their safety, labour and tax obligations, and they should not be forced to compete against rogue operators who cut corners, ignore the rules and gain an unfair cost advantage at the expense of public safety,” said Beghetto.
The OTA is calling on all Ontarians to join the campaign and demand Queen’s Park act now.
Supporters can take action now at Stop Illegal Trucking.
