REGINA — Saskatchewan and Alberta have reached an understanding in an effort to help truckers operate more efficiently and safely between the two provinces.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Regina and aims to harmonize policies and regulations for commercial vehicle operations, reduce barriers between the two provinces, and address safety regulations.

This includes specific items such as special permits, vehicle weights and dimensions, co-operative enforcement activities, national safety code issues and research.

"For Saskatchewan’s export-based economy, this means businesses will be more competitive in reaching inter-provincial, national and worldwide markets," Saskatchewan Highways and Infrastructure Minister Jim Reiter said. "Our two governments are acting to reduce red tape and enhance our business climate to continue to grow our provincial economies."

Key issues in the MOU include: the harmonization of special permit conditions for turnpike doubles (a semi with two long trailers); the harmonization of special permit conditions for oversize and overweight indivisible loads; the harmonization of the maximum gross vehicle weight for B-trains (a semi with two trailers); the establishment of an inter-provincial heavy haul/high clearance corridor; the harmonization of special permit conditions for the movement of manufactured homes; the harmonization of regulation and permit conditions based on the National Safety Code; co-operative commercial vehicle enforcement activities and facilities; and a joint research and pilot project to address common concerns with wide-based super single tires.

"From a trucking industry perspective this is good news because it highlights all the work that has been done on transportation between Alberta and Saskatchewan over the years to benefit the economy," Alberta Motor Transport Association president Richard Warnock said.