FREDERICTON — Amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act will give New Brunswick commercial truck owners more choices when it comes to equipment registrations.

The announcement, made this week by Public Safety Minister John Foran, means owners of vehicles more than 4,500 kg can let the registration expire at the end of any month. The now-repealed subsection of the act provided that registrations of commercial vehicles expire on the option of a three-month, six-month, nine-month or 12-month fixed registration period.

“Industry has asked for this change, and it benefits both commercial vehicle owners and government,” Foran said.

The new amendment ensures that heavy-commercial-vehicle owners will not have to pay for unused periods of registration, then apply for refunds. Government will benefit by not having to process these refunds, and there will be a saving of administrative costs and paperwork for both government and industry.

“This falls within government’s goal of self-sufficiency, since savings in cost and improved registration options for heavy-commercial-vehicle owners promote better business and a more self-sufficient New Brunswick,” Foran said.