DIEPPE, N.B. — A recently announced initiative that aims to harmonize certain vehicle weights and dimensions, enhance safety and coordinate commercial vehicle enforcement at the New Brunswick/Nova Scotia border has earned praise from the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association. The announcement, made by the Premiers of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, will standardize permit regulations for Long Combination Vehicles (LCVs) and oversize loads.

“This will make it much easier to flow through both provinces when operating these vehicles,” said Peter Nelson, executive director of the APTA. “The LCV configuration is important to economic growth and makes our region competitive by allowing access to this mode of moving freight into and out of our region. The LCV configuration when added into the mix of various van and flatdeck applications now available from our carriers will add to the versatility of the region’s road transport industry to meet the needs of shippers, producers and manufacturers.”

Nelson also praised the government for considering operating just one commercial vehicle enforcement facility at a time at the provinces’ border. “This does not lessen enforcement in any way and also saves on time and fuel for the road transport industry by having trucks make only when stop within a short period of time and distance as opposed to two stops,” he said.

Nelson also called plans for an enhanced 511 system for road reports harmonized between both provinces “a sound idea” in light of diverse weather conditions in Atlantic Canada.

“We do not have all of the details as of yet in regards to the study involving the Community Colleges and the Departments of Public Safety, however, we are looking forward to being briefed on this proposal. We are proponents of both commercial and passenger vehicle on road safety and will assist with this study in anyway that we are able or asked to do so.”