CB radios
Exemption for CBs extended
TORONTO, ON - Drivers in Ontario can hang onto their CB radios for a little while longer, thanks to a temporary reprieve from a law that would have permanently silenced the units in the new year. An Ontario Ministry of Transportation representative says CBs won't be taken out of cabs until January 1, 2021 - a three-year extension on the earlier January 1, 2018 deadline - to "allow for the development of more viable hands-free technologies." As the first jurisdiction to make the wired CB radio illegal in moving vehicles, Ontario said it was doing so because the devices were a dangerous distraction to drivers. The latest delay is on top of the five-year timeline that was originally introduced to come up with alternatives. The continued exemption will allow the radios to be used by roadside assistance and service vehicles, taxis, street cars, delivery and courier vehicles, and drivers of construction or commercial motor vehicles. It applies to radios mounted on dashboards or worn on clothing. After the new exemption expires, the radios will be off limits for everyone except law enforcement officers, firefighters, and provincial offenses officers.
OTA seeking insight regarding CB/two-way radio rules
TORONTO, ON - As of January 1, 2018, specific exemptions for holding and using two-way radios, which includes hand-held CB radios, will expire and the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) is looking for industry insight regarding the use of two-way/CB radios in the trucking industry.