TORONTO, Ont. — The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) Livestock Transporters’ Division is praising the efforts of Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) enforcement staff in regards to a specialized blitz to remove unsafe equipment and drivers of commercial vehicles hauling live animals on provincial roads. The blitz was focused on roads that are not part of the major highway system.

“A significant percentage of kilometres travelled in Ontario by livestock haulers do not involve travel along provincial highway monitored by stationary enforcement stations; this effort on the part of MTO will help make sure vehicles and drivers moving live animals on all Ontario roads are held to the legal safety standards,” said Randy Scott, chair of the OTA Livestock Transporters’ Division.

Nearly 80 inspections were conducted across southwestern Ontario and Halton region during the blitz, resulting in six charges and six out-of-service violations.

“Numbers generated in targeted safety blitzes should not be taken as an indication of overall safety standards and practices by the industry; but should be seen as exercises in removing the gross violators from the road,” said OTA Vice President of Operations, Geoff Wood.

Earlier this year, the OTA Livestock Transporters’ Division issued a discussion paper regarding the future of livestock transportation in the province. One of the recommendations contained in the paper was to ensure that safety standards related to the drivers and equipment utilized in the hauling of livestock was upheld on all roads and by all carriers doing business in the province.

“The OTA Livestock Transporters’ Division wishes to thank MTO enforcement community for its quick and ongoing action in this area so as to ensure that all carriers  engaged in livestock transportation are holding their drivers and maintenance staff to the highest standards,” added Scott.

The OTA says it will continue working with all members of the supply chain to educate them on the need to practice due diligence and source from safe carriers. For more information on the OTA LTD discussion paper, contact OTA’s Deanna Pagnan at Deanna.pagnan@ontruck.org.