June 2009 Volume 29, Issue 6 Delivering daily news to Canada’s trucking industry at www.trucknews.com
Long Combination Vehicles are coming to Ontario. Here’s what you need to know… By James Menzies TORONTO, Ont. – Long Combination Vehicles (LCVs), consisting of a tractor and two 53-ft. trailers measuring 40 metres in total length, are coming to Ontario. It’s a much-anticipated move that proponents say will benefit shippers, carriers, consumers and yes, even drivers. The province announced the launch of a year-long pilot project Apr. 16, which will allow up to 50 Ontario trucking companies to operate two LCVs each beginning as early as June. Doug Switzer, vice-president of public affairs with the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA), said about 30 member carriers have already
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expressed interest in participating in the program. Participating carriers must belong to either the OTA or Private Motor Truck Council of Canada (PMTC) and will be held to rigorous safety standards, according to the province. “We are taking a careful look at long combination vehicles to test their benefits,” announced Ontario Transport Minister, Jim Bradley. “The additional advantages to our environment and economy would be welcomed.” Environmentally, the widespread use of LCVs has the potential to remove 2,800 trucks from Toronto-area highways each day,
according to the OTA, which has been pushing for LCVs for more than a year. OTA president David Bradley pointed out LCVs can transport two loads using 30% less fuel, and added a recent study showed there’s the potential for the Ontario trucking industry to collectively cut its fuel consumption by 54 million litres, eliminating 151
kilotonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year. The province is also touting economical advantages for the province’s retailers and manufacturers, which was welcomed by shipper group the Canadian Industrial Transportation Association. “This is a good thing for OnContinued on page 6
Speed limiters: A country divided? By James Menzies FREDERICTON, N.B. – The province of New Brunswick is the latest to consider drafting speed limiter legislation, which would mechanically cap truck speeds at 105 km/h. The Department of Public Safety has put forth a recommenda-
tion that the province follow the lead of Ontario and Quebec and require all heavy trucks operating in the province to set their speed limiter to no greater than 105 km/h, Peter Nelson, executive director of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association (APTA) Continued on page 12
Inside This Issue... • Energotest 2008: The results of Energotest 2008 are finally ready for public consumption, and you can read about them Page 19 here before anywhere else.
See our ad page 54
• Report on Maintenance: Our Report on Maintenance is back. We look at AGM batteries, biodiesel concerns and how to prep Pages 29-36 trucks before you park’em.
• A real success story:
We take a tour of Mascot Truck Parts’ new state-of-the-art remanufacturing plant. Page 42
• Thou shunt not kill:
Shunting gets a whole lot more interesting when Dalton detects a mystery. Page 60
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