VICTORIA — B.C. Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon says he likes the idea of impounding unsafe trucks for 30 days.

“I’m very open,” he said, “to truck jail.”

According to Canwest News service, Falcon stated that he is, “open to anything that will send a message to bad operators out there that we’re not going to cut corners on safety.”

Under the plan, unsafe trucks would be impounded, with the worst offenders — those trucks Falcon describe as “really decrepit” — held for 30-days.

“The idea, at least in principle, is it would be a very heavy financial penalty,” Falcon said.

About 6,000 transport trucks a year are ordered off the road immediately upon safety inspection in British Columbia.

Falcon’s plan is also getting the support of the provincial trucking association.

According to the British Columbia Trucking Association (BCTA) President Paul Landry, a truck with “several brakes broken, in combination with bad tires, in combination with bad steering,” would be a suitable candidate for jail.

Along with truck jail, the B.C. government is looking into suspending the Class 1 licences of drivers who don’t properly maintain their trucks; they’re considering buying heat-scanning units that can check to see if a passing truck’s brakes are functioning, and finally, the ministry is considering a system that would reward safe operators with “gold star” certification.