FREDERICTON — Come May, long combination vehicles (LCVs) in New Brunswick will no longer need special high-mounted tail lights.

The move brings New Brunswick into harmony with the Quebec, Nova Scotia and Ontario. 

Also, the GVW for LCVs will be increasing in New Brunswick from 62,500 to 63,500 lb.

In the case of the higher GVW, Nova Scotia is the one out of step with the other three provinces.

But the new GVW applies only to LCVs, which are limited to just a few multi-lane provincial thoroughfares.

New Brunswick’s decision to remove the high-mounted light requirement comes after considerable lobbying by the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association (APTA).

One of the industry leaders on the issue, Wes Armour of Armour Transport was among the first to voice his concern when the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick first stipulated that the trailers have high-mounted tail lights.

Amour said there was no evidence they made the trailers safer and in fact because the lights had to be installed and removed, they increased the chances of an on-the-job injury. Plus they served as impediments to inter-provincial freight cartage.

Vern Seeley, the specification manager/technical services at another LCV user, Sunderland, is another pioneering advocate of LCVs. He says the fact that New Brunswick will now be in line is "a welcome change.:

"It’s good to have the provinces harmonized," Seeley says.