2001:02PU TRUCKING STANDARDS AND HIGHWAY SAFETY
Whereas: National Council of Women of Canada policy 96.8 asks Provincial Councils of Women to urge their respective governments to:
- Set and enforce a limitation on the size and length of trucks; and
- Enforce safety standards:
3. For trucks by compulsory inspection
4. For drivers by including maximum consecutive driving hours; and - Ensure that the licensing and taxing of trucks are appropriate to their use of highways and roads and that those monies are used to partially defray the costs of maintenance of roads and highways; and
- Ensure that trucking companies adhere to safety standards for truck and drivers; and
Whereas: Rapidly rising fuel costs; the increased demand for trucking companies to use “just in time” delivery service; the deregulation of the trucking industry; and the rapidly increased numbers of trucks on the highways have put pressure on trucking companies to make their drivers work longer hours; and
Whereas: One of the most significant factors in highway safety is the ability of the truck drivers to manage their vehicles safely, but when drivers lack sufficient sleep, they put themselves and many others on our highways at considerable risk; and
Whereas: The federal government has the primary responsibility for trucks crossing provincial and federal borders, and provincial governments have the responsibility for truck traffic within their borders; and
Whereas: Transport Canada (against the advice of its own panel of experts, but with the advice of a sub-committee of the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, a federal-provincial body with heavy trucking industry participation) has proposed a new policy to regulate the work and rest hours of the truckers that would increase the allowed work hours above those of the USA and Europe, therefore be it
RESOLVED: That the National Council of Women of Canada adopt as its policy that there should be a safe “standard of work and rest hours” regulation and policy for truckers across Canada; and be it further
RESOLVED: That the National Council of Women of Canada urge the Government of Canada to:
- Implement a safer “standard of work and rest hours” regulation and policy for truckers, such as those in Europe and the USA,
- Hold public consultations on this issue, and be it further
RESOLVED: That the National Council of Women of Canada reiterate its policy 96.8 urging the Provincial Councils of Women and Local Councils where appropriate to urge their respective governments to:
- Set and enforce a limitation on the size and length of trucks; and
- Enforce safety standards for trucks by compulsory inspection and for drivers by ensuring adherence to strengthened national standards of work and rest hours policy; and
- Ensure that licensing and taxing of trucks are appropriate to their use of highways and roads and that those monies are used to partially defray the costs of maintenance of roads and highways; and
- Ensure that trucking companies adhere to safety standards for trucks and drivers.