B.C. trucking industry stands by drivers, after several overpasses are hit

It’s been a bumpy road for B.C.’s trucking industry this year, after major damage and traffic headaches were caused by overpasses being hit several times in different areas of the Lower Mainland.

The most recent incident happened this week on Highway 1 in Langley. However, the most high-profile case this year took place in North Vancouver last month.

In mid-September, a truck driver hit the Main Street overpass and took off. He has yet to be found.

President and CEO of the BC Trucking Association Dave Earle says the industry’s members are safe to be out there, and is pushing back against the bad reputation they’re getting.

“What gets missed is the literally millions of moves every day that happen safely. There are over 100,000 heavy vehicles on the roads in British Columbia on any given day moving through a variety of circumstances, and the vast, vast, vast majority are done well,” he told CityNews.

Earle adds every time an overpass is struck, it gives those in trucking “pause” and “reasons” to review how they do things, but he didn’t elaborate on what that means.

With the driver in the North Vancouver incident still at large, Earle says he has confidence in the investigation.

“It’s unfortunate that we don’t have any public explanation as to what’s happened and what’s transpired, but I do have confidence in both the investigating agencies that they were able to move on this,” Earle added.

However, it’s been difficult to get a straight answer about the investigation. This week, the provincial government confirmed it knows the identity of the driver involved in the Main Street overpass incident. It’s a name the trucking company whose vehicle hit the overpass claims it handed over last month.

But Minister of Transportation Rob Fleming told reporters on Wednesday that any questions about tracking down the driver would fall to the North Vancouver RCMP.

“The driver has not been found, so I’d have to refer any additional information to the RCMP about how they’re trying to apprehend that individual,” said Fleming.

The RCMP told CityNews on Tuesday its investigation had concluded, pending new information about the driver.

“Our message to the public remains the same. If anyone has any info on the identity of the driver, please call the North Vancouver RCMP,” said Const. Mansoor Sahak in a statement.

The company that owns the truck, Whistler Courier & Freightways, won’t confirm if the driver has been fired, citing privacy reasons. In a statement online, it says two of its employees have faced disciplinary action.

Earle says it’s unlikely the driver is working anywhere else as a trucker.

“When an individual shows up to be employed, one of the first things they have to do in a commercial vehicle setting is provide their driver’s abstract, which is a record of their driving and a valid driver’s license, before the conversation can even begin,” he explained.

“Particularly pulling the driver’s abstract, that is possible the different investigating agencies will be able to find out what’s happening. So, the chances of that individual continuing to work, honestly, anywhere else in Canada in the industry are extraordinarily small.”

The B.C. government previously said the “carrier/driver” didn’t have a permit when the truck hit the overpass.

Meanwhile, Earle is also pushing some of the blame of bad driving behaviour on the average driver.

“I can’t tell you how many times in a given day I see drivers cutting in front of [commercial] vehicles because there’s space and the driver doesn’t realize there is no possibility that vehicle can stop in time. Drivers need to give these commercial vehicles… room.”

Whistler Courier & Freightways’ operations were temporarily suspended following the overpass incident. The company has since been hit with more than $3,500 in fines.

The Ministry of Transportation’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement (CVSE) department says it will be conducting an audit of the company in early 2024.

-With files from Hana Mae Nassar