BRAMPTON, Ont. – Di-Mond Trailers has built what it claims to be the first-ever galvanized 53-ft. tride fixed B-train chassis. The chassis, which was constructed at the request of Canadian Tire, is the first of is kind created in North America, officials said. Di-Mond has been building B-train chassis for a number of years on vans, but this is its first 53-ft. version.

“Canadian Tire had come to us to see if it could be done. No one ’til today had figured out how to design the chassis and make it work. Di-Mond trailers has done it,” said Jimmy Zborowsky, sales manager for Di-Mond Trailers.

The equipment’s design team was able to create a solution where an elevating fifth wheel was no longer necessary and also eliminated some of the “twisting” that can happen on the back end.

The new chassis also features Di-Mond’s patented galvanized design which coats the equipment in rustresistant zinc to prolong the life of the equipment. Di-Mond first introduced the fully-galvanized chassis in 2005 when the equipment caught the eye of Canadian Tire’s fleet.

Canadian Tire officials say that for the time being they will run the unit in Quebec as it is not currently legal for use on Ontario roads. Both Di-Mond and Canadian Tire are pushing for use of 53-ft. B-trains on Ontario’s highways, arguing that with each B-train set used, one truck can be removed from the nation’s highways.

“This will help the driver shortage and the environment (because of) less pollution from our trucks,” Zborowsky says.

Vern Seeley, technology and specifications manager for Sunbury Transport, is currently fighting to pass legislation in the East Coast that would allow the use of fulllength B-train configurations. If and when that happens, Canadian Tire is hoping to run 53-ft. B-train sets from the Atlantic Canada to Montreal.

“If you check with the MTO, I think the 53-ft. B-train is one of the safest truck and trailers combos out there with the fewest accidents,” Zborowsky says.