VICTORIA, B.C. — The province of B.C. has introduced its Premium Carrier Program to recognize truck fleets that achieve safety excellence.

The program was officially rolled out yesterday by Transport Minister Shirley Bond.

“The Premium Carrier Program is intended to enhance road safety by recognizing and rewarding those carriers who show an exceptional commitment to safety,” said Bond. “By knowing who the top performers are, we can focus our commercial vehicle enforcement where it is needed most and help make our roads even safer.” 

The program stems from a recommendation by the 2009 Truck Compliance Advisory Panel and was influenced by the B.C. Trucking Association.

“We’re proud of the fact that most trucking and motor coach companies in the province are safe operators,” said Paul Landry, president and CEO of the BCTA. “The Premium Carrier Program is designed to identify and reward those outstanding companies that adhere to the highest standards our association promotes throughout the trucking industry.”

The “reward” will come in the form of recognition. Carriers who qualify will have access to a watermark for promotional use, will receive a certificate and will be listed as a recommended carrier on the province’s Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement Web site.

They will also be eligible for the province’s Weigh2GoBC program, which allows them to bypass scales more frequently. They’ll receive free transponders for their entire fleet and will be assigned the lowest random report percentage (5%), resulting in fewer stops for inspections, the province announced.

For more info on the program, visit www.th.gov.bc.ca/cvse/PremiumCarrier/