DARTMOUTH, N.S. — The Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission has submitted an application to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (UARB) requesting approval to move from registered gross vehicle weight classification to an axle-based classification system.

“Moving to an axle-based vehicle classification system will align the commission with other Maritime and most North American toll authorities,” says Steve Snider, general manager and CEO for the commission.

The commission has been using a registered gross vehicle weight system to classify vehicles for tolling purposes since 1955 when the Macdonald Bridge opened. The move to axle-based classification requires that each vehicle pays for the number of axles in use at the time of each crossing. In the tolling industry, this is considered to be more equitable than basing tolls on registered gross vehicle weight, Snider says.

“Axle-based classification will allow for automatic vehicle classification and would permit the commission to develop express lanes on the MacKay Bridge toll plaza in the future,” Snider adds.

Express lane in the tolling industry is defined as an electronic toll lane where vehicles pass the collection point without reducing speed.

The commission’s application also requests to eliminate tokens and seek approval for the updating of its rules and regulations. Theses changes, along with the changes to the vehicle classification system, are requested to be effective early in 2008.