Fredericton to ask province to regulate engine brake use

FREDERICTON (June 26, 2000) — Fed up with noise complaints, Fredericton city councillors plan to ask the New Brunswick government to legislate restrictions on the use of engine brakes.

The council said it would submit a formal request to the Cities of New Brunswick Association, which represents city governments at the provincial level, to ask the province to crack down on the use of engine brakes in residential areas.

Local governments in New Brunswick have no legal authority to regulate engine brakes — or even to post signs asking truckers to regulate themselves. Fredericton councillors say the city’s noise bylaw offers little help since the decibel level has to be checked when the offence occurs.

Councillor Ron Jackson said signs asking truckers to not use their engine brakes in residential areas would be a better first step.

“If we can forewarn truckers when they approach residential areas to slow down … they don’t have to use [their engine brakes],” he said. “I’m not asking them to haul them out of trucks or be fined for using them, just some co-operation from the trucking community.”