Truck hits B.C. overpass, third such incident in February
A truck has stuck an overpass in British Columbia once again, the third time this has happened in February, and the fourth such incident this year.
B.C. Highway Patrol is investigating a collision involving a commercial vehicle and an overpass that partially shut down the right-most lane of Highway 1 near Glover Road, Langley, according to a news release.
The overpass strike occurred on Feb. 20 at 9:17 a.m. Initial investigation shows that a tractor-trailer towing a large vertical load struck both the 264 overpass and the CP Rail overpass on Highway 1 westbound.
“Damage appears to be minimal, but the load involved, a shipment of pre-formed concrete, is associated to a company that is known to police. As a result, Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement officers have been called in to take conduct of the investigation into any load height and permitting issues,” the release said.
B.C.’s minister of transportation told Global News that the trucking company’s entire fleet has had its licence suspended, pending an investigation, and that could take several weeks.
“This is incredibly frustrating,” Mike Farnworth told Global News.
“You really have to question what kind of stupidity is it in terms of not making sure that you are following the prescribed route. It’s never been easier…. The company needs to make sure that they are properly measuring the load, the shipper, before it goes on the road and the driver has got to follow instructions… because one thing I know, the overpasses are not lowering themselves.”
Commercial vehicles hit overpasses, bridges and infrastructure on 29 occasions in British Columbia in 2024.
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Continued bridge strikes, drivers passing when unsafe, drivers incapable of backing a tractor trailer up, drivers showing up at shippers without proper PPE, drivers not able to understand simple directives on how to secure loads at the shippers.
All this points to improper training and an attitude that a truck driver only steers a truck. Canada needs to implement a Driver apprenticeship program, Red Seal/Blue Seal. The Canadian Trucking association and the Provincial ones overseeing the program. Working with the Provinces, Insurance providers, shippers and designated carriers to make trucking a recognized skilled labour profession. Year one, Start the potential driver out working on a loading dock, learning to load trucks, moving them on a certified Counter balanced Forklift training course and class room work on airbrakes, proper loading to account for axle weights etc. Year two learning to operate a 3-5 ton, doing deliveries in town, then Day Cab tractor and pup type trailers deliveries. + class room work on minor repairs, tarping, chaining, securing in a trailer, various types of freight from Steel to Lumber to feathers. Year 3 ,Short hauls between cities and/or rural deliveries/picks maximum radius 400 km. Class room work on dispatch and understanding the business of trucking . Year 4 moving up to Sleeper cabs and longer hauls, mountain driving instruction with certified instructors, summer and winter, learning to properly chain up, learning the responsibility of having the largest vehicle on the road, and finally class room prior to 1 year probationalry Class 1 CDL with Red Seal awarded at end of 1st year provided various criteria are met. Better trained, safer, and a pride in being an industry professional, Want to be a heavy haul, driver, you get an endorsement, training properly and have red seal with HH endorsement, etc. Truck driving has never been an unskilled labour yet it is treated as such and that is showing with these foolish bridge strikes, hours of service violations, excessive speeds, unsafe lane changes and overall disregard for the size of the vehicle driver is operating.
The Benefits for companies participating, are being an accredited Training Carrier (Tested every couple of years to ensure standards being maintained) being an accredited training facility (with trained instructors and compliance),including warehouses and shippers willing to help drivers get their start. Safer highways, lower insurance rates, drivers living longer, able to accomplish any type of freight.
It’s time to start penalizing shippers who don’t ensure their loads are properly permitted and who don’t pay enough to ensure their carriers are competent and operate safely. Make shippers responsible for the actions of their carriers and this will stop.
There was a comment made that these over passes don’t get any lower, the thought for me after 45 years in the transportation business going up and down that highway is, why don’t they grade the thing a bit lower under those overpasses so there’s more clearance, seems so simple, because there is so much involved in the trucking world to be competitive with increasing amount of regulations, nobody wants to pay the extra everybody’s trying to cut corners. Like going around a route that may take an hour plus longer.