VICTORIA — Single tires may soon be an option for some B.C. fleets now that the province’s Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement (CVSE) branch has made several changes to the Commercial Transport Act Regulations, including an amendment that makes it easier for some carriers to spec wide-based tires.

In the Appendices of the Commercial Transport Regulations, there are notes stipulating a per-tire weight limit of at least 3,850 kg — up from up from 3,000 kg. The exact weight threshold for wide-base singles varies. Depending on the axle configuration, the weight limit per axle is between 7,700 kg and 8,500 kg on both drive and trailer set-ups. (see accompanying chart).

While there’s still at least a 1,300 kg weight penalty compared with duals (which enjoy a weight cushion of 9,000 kg per axle), the amendment does close the gap for carriers hauling lighter loads. It also means that B.C. has become the third province after Quebec and Ontario to allow a weight limit for singles that are uniform with U.S. limits of 17,000 lb, or 7,700 kg per axle.

The weight penalty, if there even is one, would therefore be inconsequential for U.S.-dedicated units.

The province still has a bit to go if it’s going to match Quebec, which became the first Canadian province to eliminate the weight penalty for using single wide-based tires in Canada. By raising the standard from 8,000 to 9,000 kg and thereby removing the 1,000 kg penalty, Quebec truckers can now interchange wide-base tires or dual tires under the same load standards.

Ontario, which at the start of 2006 also increased its super single limit from 6,000 kg to 8,000 per axle, is currently testing wide-base tires before making a decision to follow Quebec and allow full parity.

Meanwhile, other recent compliance circulars made by CVSE to the to the Commercial Transport Regulations include:

B.C. fleets looking to experiment with singles
can now take advantage on U.S. runs

Axle Retrofit and Addition to Existing Vehicles:

There are new issues to consider when changing or adding axles to a vehicle. If the changed or added axle(s) causes the vehicle to exceed the vehicle’s original GAWR or GVWR the owner must either: provide a letter of endorsement from the OEM or from an OEM dealer supporting the vehicle’s new maximum GAWR and GVWR limit, or provide a letter signed by a registered professional engineer.

Clarification to the A Train/C Train drawing in Commercial Transport Regulations:

Appendix G of the CVR implies that both A and C Trains have a maximum drawbar length of 2.0 meters. It should be clarified that this maximum drawbar length applies only to C Trains and not A Trains. All previous versions of the CTR, up to 2002, had not verbally stated control on the converter dolly’s drawbar length of an A Train, CVSE states.

Amendments to the Appendix H & I of Gross Combination Vehicle Weight:

Recent amendments to increase the axle weight from 24,000 kg to 25,000 kg allowed on a tridem pole trailer when in combination with either a tandem or tridem drive truck, as shown in Appendix “H” of the CTR, was omitted in their maximum allowable GCVW limits.

Furthermore, the recent axle weight increase from 24,000 kg to 26,100 kg allowed on a tri-axle trailer in combination with either a tandem or tridem drive truck, as shown in Appendix “I” of the CTR, was also omitted in their maximum GCVW limits.

For all four complete compliance circulars click on the CVSE link below: