BRAMPTON, Ont. –Gravel truck operators who have been ticketed for having uneven axle weights will be able to take up the issue with Ministry of Transport officers at a seminar later this month. The Indian Trucking Association (ITA) will be hosting the event at the Satkar Palace Banquet Hall in Mississauga, Ont. March 28.

ITA officials have confirmed that both MTO and Canadian Border Service Agency officials will be present for a question and answer period with attendees.

“For the trucking community, it’s very important to have these kinds of forums,” said Najib Iqbal, general secretary of the ITA, at a recent press conference promoting the upcoming event.

The main issue of discussion and education at the “Smart Trucking Seminar” will focus on the problem of uneven axle weights for gravel haulers. ITA officials say that the responsibility of loading gravel correctly falls on the loader and loading company -not the trucker. At the recent press luncheon, ITA officials gave specific examples of MTO officers “taking advantage” of gravel haulers, sometimes requiring them to shovel the gravel themselves in order to even it out.

“We don’t want this problem to get so big that it’s uncontrollable,” said Jatiner Jaswal, executive director of the ITA.

Jaswal noted that truck weigh scale operators installed leveling machines to deal with the issue about seven years ago, but have since uninstalled them. Jaswal said that drivers usually do not have the proper leveling tools needed for the job and the ITA has lobbied with the MTO to resolve the issue.

The ITA will also be addressing the association’s perceived lack of Punjabi-speaking MTO officers and will also be asking that the MTO publish “important” communiques in Punjabi as well as English.

The ITA has been pursuing these concerns for several months now and members have said they are hoping for answers at the upcoming seminar.

“We are a grassroots organization. We want to put (our members) on the right path to succeed in the industry,” said Jaswal, adding that the ITA is hoping to have five to 10 Punjabi-speaking officers in Ontario in the next five years.

CBSA officers will be on-hand to educate drivers on safe border crossing procedures and address any questions or concerns.

The seminar will be held from 1:30 p. m. to 3:30 p. m. March 28 at Satkar Banquet Hall in Mississauga, Ont. (7089 Torbram Road). •