Teamsters speak out against speed limiter law

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TORONTO, Ont. — The Teamsters Canada union, which represents thousands of Canadian truckers, says it is not a fan of Ontario’s speed limiter law.

 

The union says Bill 41, which mechanically caps truck speeds at 105 km/h, will only burden drivers with costly adjustments to their rigs. The Teamsters issued a release yesterday opposing the law, and pointing out it costs between $75 and $150 to have the speed limiter set or adjusted at a dealership or shop.

 

“I applaud the efforts made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Robert (Bud) McAulay, national freight and tank haul director for Teamsters Canada. “But other considerations need to be made on environmental issues that don’t affect highway safety for motorists. How do you expect to have a safe highway when the Ministry of Transportation is allowing two different speed limits? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what the result of trucks being regulated at 105 km/h and cars travelling at 120 km/h and higher will create; a lot of angry tailgating motorists waiting for their chance to pass, which will result in aggressive driving not to mention the increase in lane changes.”

 

The union also complained that Transport Minister Jim Bradley “chose not to hear what the truckers, represented by Teamsters Canada, had to say on this very important issue.”

 

(The Teamsters were not represented at the public hearings on Bill 41 at Queen’s Park last June).

 

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