REGINA — The Saskatchewan Trucking Association has been working closely with their provincial government and has made considerable progress on a number of regulatory changes and modifications.

A general dialogue between the STA and Highways Minister Wayne Elhard is ongoing, and the ministry has agreed to a number of significant changes that will positively affect the province’s trucking industry.

Some of the recent changes include:

Elimination of the $0.14/km TPP fee for Energy Efficient Motor Vehicles (EEMV) companies. The fees have been eliminated effective April 1, 2008 and all refunds have been sent out. An annual Administration Fee of $2,000 is applied to EEMV agreement holders.

The ministry has also made a policy change with respect to the length of EEMVs in an effort to move towards more harmonization of LCV operations within the three western provinces. The overall length of the Turnpike Double and Triple Trailer Combination units to 41meters from 38 meters and Rocky Mountain Doubles to 34 meters from 31 meters while operating on the four-lane highway system. Rocky Mountain Doubles while operating on two lane highways will remain at 31 meters in length.

The ministry is moving closer to a decision regarding the increase of EEMV speed limits from 90 km/h to 100 km/h. The increase would be made in an effort to harmonize speed limits among the three western provinces.

Trucking carriers are urging Saskatchewan to update weight &
dimension rules with initiatives seen in other provinces

After further discussion and in the interest of furthering EEMV harmonization with neighboring provinces, the ministry is thinking about dropping the adverse weather restrictions from the EEMV program.

An examination of routes that can handle 63,500 kg and other weights. The ministry has reviewed these weights on bridge structures on the National Highway System (all of Highways 1, 7, 11 and 16; Hwy 10 from Balgonie to Yorkton; Hwy 6/39 from Regina to US Border at Portal; Hwy 2 from Moose Jaw to Chamberlain and from Prince Albert to La Ronge) and has concluded that this system could support this increase in weight.

Expansion of the 63,500 kg beyond the National Highway System would require further review to determine the fitness of bridges to carry the higher 63 500 kg.

And finally, the ministry will assess the possibility of allowing increased weights for wide-based tires that currently operate at 3,850 kg/tire, bringing it more in line with Manitoba and B.C. which allow 7,700 kg per axle; and Ontario and Quebec, which allow fleets to spec wide-base tires at the same weight limit as duals, at 9,000 kg.