The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) has asked the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to revise the proposal to remove route restrictions for the transport of Class 3 and 8 hazardous materials that remain in place at the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ont., with Detroit, Mich.

Although the proposal to remove the longstanding restrictions on Class 3 and 8 hazardous materials is welcomed by OTA members, the association does not support the proposed use of escort vehicles as a condition for the transport of Class 3 and 8 shipments across the bridge, OTA said during MDOT’s public hearing.

“Escort vehicles are not used to move these commodities at other high-volume ports of entry, and there are thousands of these shipments that move safely across the border daily,” said Geoff Wood, OTA’s senior vice-president of policy. “We strongly encourage MDOT to consider revising the proposal.”

The OTA added that the joint Canada-U.S. regulatory regimes governing drivers and vehicles that are engaged in the transportation of hazardous materials are constantly reviewed and enhanced, including the security screening of drivers and the critical need to ensure alignment with other border crossing points at the northern border.

“Our organization and its members have consistently supported and exhibited the utmost commitment to safety on our roadways, and we will continue to uphold this standard to secure and enhance the supply chains in southeastern Michigan and southwestern Ontario that rely on truck transportation,” Wood said.