VANCOUVER, B.C.- Port Metro Vancouver could benefit from having fewer trucks and from paying container truck driver better, authorities have found after revising the port’s Truck Licensing System (TLS).

“There are too many trucks registered for the work that is required, which has caused intense competition between trucking companies, not enough work for many truckers and reports of the undercutting of agreed rates,” said Peter Xotta, Vice President, Planning and Operations for Port Metro Vancouver.

In their report released jointly by the federal and provincial governments, Vince Ready and Corinn Bell noted an understanding among stakeholders of the need for change to TLS.

Detailed analysis has been done based on GPS data available from all 2,000 trucks currently registered to serve the port and showed there are more trucks registered than required in this market.

A new and revised TLS is expected to come into effect in February 2015 and all current license holders will have the opportunity to seek participation in the new system. Among the details will be a program to ease the transition by assisting owner-operators of trucks who do not meet the requirements for entry under the new policy.

Enforced pay

Although the port is aiming to reduce the number of trucks it licenses to haul containers, Ready and Bell advise on the implementation of a new pay model, which will be more strictly enforced.

Owner-operators

Ready and Bell’s report advocates a model whereby owner-operators get paid by trip and are paid a minimum call-out rate of $300.00 per day.

Company drivers

As for employee drivers paid on an hourly rate, the report recommends that the hourly rates as negotiated in the Joint Action Plan are also regulated and paid by trucking companies and that all companies that employ employee drivers are subject to audit. 

Companies that have provided hourly-paid company drivers with benefit packages in lieu of wages can be audited as well and such benefit packages will be taken into to ensure that a comparable overall rate is paid to the drivers.  Any company driver who is called into work should be paid a minimum call out rate of four hours’ pay, irrespective of hours worked, the report recommends.

Furthermore, company drivers paid trip rates rather than hourly rates should be paid a minimum of $40 per trip and a minimum call-out of $160 per day; rates which are a minimum and are not meant to interfere with any superior agreements. If any existing trip rates are reduced as a result of the report,  Ready and Bell recommend that the company be subject to sanctions. 

Click here to read the full report.