TORONTO — Trucking carriers that routinely travel on Ontario’s private highway will see as much as a 50 percent discount on rates during off-peak hours.

407 ETR — the private consortium that bought the 108-km highway from the former Tory government — says it’s ready to make good on a promise it originally announced it April.

As TodaysTrucking.com reported at the time, the discount plan was borne out of a resolution struck between the highway company and the provincial Liberal government.

Carriers frequently using transponders for Hwy 407 could
see discounts by as much as 50% during off-peak hours

The two sides had been embroiled in an ongoing legal battle over the authority to control tolls and operations on the highway. The Liberals has promised to regulate tolls before they were elected three years ago, but lost virtually every court decision or arbitrators ruling since.

The 407 finally agreed to a number of provisions in exchange for the government’s dismissal of pending appeals as well as an acknowledgment that the company has the right to control toll rates and other operations.

One provision was that the company implement a Heavy-Vehicle Reward Program that would save eligible truckers (those that use transponders for all ETR trip usage) up to 50 percent off of night and weekend rates; 407 ERT also agreed to appoint an independent customer service ombudsman to better deal with customers’ complaints and broker resolutions in payment disputes between the company and highway users.

407 ETR spokesman Dale Albers says the discount program is designed to alleviate rush-hour traffic by enticing carriers and shippers to switch some runs to off-peak hours.

The savings could be substantial for certain carriers. Until now, the discount for traveling during off-peak hours — between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays — totaled just two cents.

The discount now increases to as much as 23 cents a kilometre for driving at night and on weekends and 12 cents for usage at other off-peak times.

Currently, truckers operating heavy tractor-trailer combinations pay 48.75 a klick during peak hours. Straight trucks are charged 32.50. During off-peak windows, heavy trucks pay 46.50 and straight trucks 31.00 cents.

Albers told TodaysTrucking.com previously that for the program to continue, the 18 percent non-compliance rate of truckers that do not use transponders on all trips must improve in the future.

Passenger car drivers will have to wait until later this year for a similar breaks on rates reached in the settlement.

— with files from Canadian Press