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MTO Annual safety inspections for trucks and trailers


Bearcat_w

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Buried in the government's announcement regarding 400 series highway speed limits and other items was this tidbit from the minister:

"Yurek said the province plans to eliminate a requirement for owners of pick-up trucks and trailers to get them inspected if they are for personal use."

 

This is a welcome change. Hope it proceeds. I never understood the rationale that allows a 35ft travel trailer to be exempt while a 20 ft snowmobile trailer could force you to inspect truck and trailer. That being said, we would still expect owners to check that lights and brakes are working properly.

 

 

 

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Long over due. The MTO has been off the rails for some time now. The real shame is that policy that was supposed to make the roads safer such as CVOR and whatnot not only caused more accidents, but also drove most owner/operator transport truck drivers out of business. A double loss

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Hopefully the new regs are straightforward and not subject to the whims of the individual LEO or MTO personnel.

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A friend used to haul show trucks on an open car trailer. He carried a copy of the regs in his truck. He was fed up with the nonsense during inspections. "That isn't chained properly" "Here's the diagram" (pointing @ regs) "Oh, OK"...

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I too find it irritating that I can haul my tandem 16' enclosed cargo trailer with my 32' A class RV legally,  with NO TRAILER BRAKES, (RVs are typically seriously brake limited, in my opinion...) no stickers, no inspections.

But not legal with my F-150 4wd, with brake controller, and IMHO a vastly safer and more capable vehicle combination. 

I've LONG since given up hoping anything government pencil pushers make up will have any correlation to reality, but this is pushing it.

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2 hours ago, manotickmike said:

I too find it irritating that I can haul my tandem 16' enclosed cargo trailer with my 32' A class RV legally,  with NO TRAILER BRAKES, (RVs are typically seriously brake limited, in my opinion...) no stickers, no inspections.

But not legal with my F-150 4wd, with brake controller, and IMHO a vastly safer and more capable vehicle combination. 

I've LONG since given up hoping anything government pencil pushers make up will have any correlation to reality, but this is pushing it.

 

I wonder how many regulations are written up by people that have no experience whatsoever w/ any matter?

 

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How exactly will they draw the line between what is "personal use" and what is "commercial"?

 

Personally, I'd like to see the RV exemption done away with. Any trailer capable of carrying 3000 lbs should require an annual safety, along with its tow vehicle.

 

 

I've never understood the RV exemption considering most don't move more than 2 weeks out of the year. My snowmobile trailer has brake issues at least every other year because it sits so much of the time.

 

 

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If I choose to tow my 2 sleds in a brand new tandem axle with brakes, heavy duty enclosed cargo trailer,  I need inspections on both truck and trailer.

If I buy the equivalent of a flimsy coke can on a single axle with 12" wheels and no brakes, I don't need an inspection.

For either device.

If safety is the supposed goal here, somebody F'ed up.

 

I understand why a commercial situation needs inspecting. I see rolling wrecks every day in my travels. Small business is taxed so hard these days it's a wonder why anyone continues, ASSuming they can run it sustainably, AND maintain their equipment.

I also know the "buy a sticker" business is thriving. From personal experience.

 

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To me it's simple. Everything is over regulated to make up for a lack of enforcement. There should be no yellow stickers for personal use as long as your at or under your g class license weight limit. If your equipment is found to be seriously defective or your towing beyond the manufactures limits you should have the book thrown at you. Right now the system punishes those that play by the rules because the way the rules are enforced your average Joe will just not get the stickers and take a fine if they ever get caught. 

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Its simple and unfortunate but this is ALLLLLLL about money, and that alone is what is driving these changes. Initially the concept of "those guys have money to play, so they must have money to PAY to play" was taken in earnst approx 15-20 years ago by the transport related bureaucracies, all of them. These types GUTTED the grass roots economy and BURIED the province in historically high debt. Over 1 billion per month now in interest payments alone and guess who gets that billion dollars? BIG BUSINESS the very evil so many on the so called compassionate left seem to hate yet they feed the BIGGEST OF THEM ALL. The bank.

 

We need to mobilize our economy and scale it up and the more people we can engage in meaningful EXPENSIVE past times such as snowmobiling the better for all. This sensibility has rung home HARD because the news may not be screaming about debt panic, rest assured we ARE in a debt panic and the only way out of it is to see the private sector pay sclae up, WAYYYYY UP and the public sector pays need to do one of two things;

 

1. scale down

2. freeze

 

Option one the pain will get over with quickly because business investment will flow and things will rebound quickly and so long as we use the inflated cash flow to push the debt back 10-20 years we will be solid again. Think ripping off bandaid vs slow peel

Option 2 will take a lifelong process of flat lined growth and declining returns which will drive  mediocrity into a long game. 30-60 years its a tough slog and how we are now is as good as it will get while America runs off ahead, we will stay at idle.

 

There is a third option. Thats keep increasing the debt and that end? Take a look at Detroit or watch the big short because NO ONE will get out of that policy alive and well.

 

I am for option 1 btw. Lets just take the hit, suck it up, fix the math and draft regulations to prevent this from happening again.

 

 

As for the MTO? Aint never going to be anything perfect. EVER. Not the cars on the road, or the policy that tries to keep people safe. Lifes a risk and no one gets out alive. Lets make ours perform well, and do our best to improve productivity, fun, and compassion for those who get hurt along the way.

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Crispy I agree about a few things in your post.

1.  Take a hit to right the economy.

2.  Public sector wage freeze and downsizing is necessary.

3.  MTO ain’t never going to be perfect or better.

 

The yellow stickers came about due to a complete lack of respect for motorists on the road by truck owners / trucking companies.  Trucks and trailers were unsafe and needed a way to be identified.

When commercial businesses tried to hide in enclosed trailers they got dragged into the yellow sticker mess.

 

Who remembers the news of hundreds of trucks getting plates pulled for infractions.  No where near as common now.  

 

 

 

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This is interesting to hear.  I was going to get my trailer safety this weekend.  Do you think they are actually going to do this?

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2 hours ago, Proxrider said:

This is interesting to hear.  I was going to get my trailer safety this weekend.  Do you think they are actually going to do this?

  • If it takes as long to modify as it takes to get new legislative changes into law and enforceable you may have quite a wait. Who knows, maybe Dougie knows a shortcut. The issue that I see happening is lack of required maintenance on trailers with electric brakes. As Blackstar mentioned, they typically need maintenance at the very least every 2nd year as the wheel end hardware tends to seize up or wiring (ends) rot. The yellow stickers have helped to keep that maintenance issue in check. Responsible owners will still get the maintenance done, it's the fringe group that is worrisome.
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For me personally,  it does not bother me to get the truck and trailer safetied each season.  I have no issue with it. The issue i have is the backwards laws and regulations. The RV one is the biggest, or seeing the rust bucket trucks and trailers out there. The miles we do, and all the wear and tear on equipment,  i do not mind having my reputable shops look after my stuff. 

 

Just legislate to be fair and make sense...

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58 minutes ago, IQ TURBO said:

For me personally,  it does not bother me to get the truck and trailer safetied each season.  I have no issue with it. The issue i have is the backwards laws and regulations. The RV one is the biggest, or seeing the rust bucket trucks and trailers out there. The miles we do, and all the wear and tear on equipment,  i do not mind having my reputable shops look after my stuff. 

 

Just legislate to be fair and make sense...

I agree.  The only 'nice' thing I see about the yellow sticker is that it serves as a reminder to get it done annually.  If this comes in, I guess I'll have to start doing it on my birthday, just to make that part of the year even more expensive (vehicle registrations, gov't ID's) 

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There was some junk out there and that junk is long long gone. Policy is counter productive now because its way safer to run a 3500 series truck under loaded than it is to run a 1500 maxed out but 3500 series needs yellow sticker, insurance is higher and MTO targets you. Three times loser land to run a heavy duty truck for personal use. Why on earth?

 

Plus if the MTO and OPP were decent about it and not such obnoxious know it alls who say "I dont care about that" or "that doesnt matter because" to every point of reason I dont think this would be much of an issue. They literally INVENT reasons to charge truck/trailer owners and always hand out three or more fines. This is no joke, no easy thing to deal with and a giant time suck not to mention morale killer. There is little to no win and a lot of grief to the people trying to move around. The yellow sticker is a target for abuse especially if your a land scaper or operate anywhere near a yard. Look out its open season.

 

I always liked the surge hydraulic brakes. reliable, and work on any tow vehicle.

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Today I heard from someone that if you're truck has the yellow sticker you MUST have a log book. Apparently it's something new they were saying. I have not heard anything about that yet. Any one else heard this ?

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3 hours ago, volunteer2 said:

Today I heard from someone that if you're truck has the yellow sticker you MUST have a log book. Apparently it's something new they were saying. I have not heard anything about that yet. Any one else heard this ?

 

From the MTO commercial vehicle FAQ site, If you have a CVOR you need a logbook. If you are person-use, you don't need a CVOR, thus no logbook:

 

Q14: Do I need to fill out a daily log?

Ontario's hours-of-service regulation governs the maximum driving times and minimum off-duty times of commercial vehicle drivers (bus and truck) who require a Commercial Vehicle Operator's Registration (CVOR). They are based on the National Safety Code Standard 9.

Driver's must:

  • keep records of their daily driving and other work activities in a set format
  • provide these records to enforcement officials upon request

Q15: Is my pickup truck a commercial motor vehicle and does it need a CVOR?

The Highway Traffic Act considers all pickup trucks to be commercial motor vehicles, but a pickup truck only needs a Commercial Vehicle Operator's Registration (CVOR) certificate if it has an actual or registered gross weight of more than 4,500 kg.

A personal-use pickup truck means a pickup truck that:

  • is being used for personal purposes without compensation
  • has a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of 6,000 kg (13,227 lb) or less, and is fitted with either:
    • the original box that was installed by the manufacturer, which has not been modified, or
    • a replacement box that duplicates the one that was installed by the manufacturer and has not been modified
  • is not carrying or towing a trailer carrying commercial cargo or tools or equipment of a type normally used for commercial purposes

 

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4 hours ago, volunteer2 said:

Today I heard from someone that if you're truck has the yellow sticker you MUST have a log book. Apparently it's something new they were saying. I have not heard anything about that yet. Any one else heard this ?

I'm going to throw another wrench in this discussion Nick. This is off the MTO website as well.

http://find.gov.on.ca/?searchType=simple&owner=mto&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mto.gov.on.ca&collection=&offset=0&lang=en&type=ANY&q=160+km+exemption&search.x=0&search.y=0

 

Trucks Handbook - Ontario Ministry of Transportation

If a driver is directed to operate within a 160-km radius of where they start the day and return to the same location at the end of the day, they may be exempt from carrying a daily log, but will still be subject to all of the requirements for hours of service.

www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/trucks/handbook/section1-4-1.shtml

 

 

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12 hours ago, sledjunk said:

I agree.  The only 'nice' thing I see about the yellow sticker is that it serves as a reminder to get it done annually.  If this comes in, I guess I'll have to start doing it on my birthday, just to make that part of the year even more expensive (vehicle registrations, gov't ID's) 

I agree totally SJ. 

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2 hours ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said:

I'm going to throw another wrench in this discussion Nick. This is off the MTO website as well.

http://find.gov.on.ca/?searchType=simple&owner=mto&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mto.gov.on.ca&collection=&offset=0&lang=en&type=ANY&q=160+km+exemption&search.x=0&search.y=0

 

Trucks Handbook - Ontario Ministry of Transportation

If a driver is directed to operate within a 160-km radius of where they start the day and return to the same location at the end of the day, they may be exempt from carrying a daily log, but will still be subject to all of the requirements for hours of service.

www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/trucks/handbook/section1-4-1.shtml

 

 

X2 on the 100 mile exemption. A friend took me from North Bay to the Tembec mill in Temiscaming in his truck several years ago. Before we headed to the yard, I asked him if this would mess up his HoS. He said no. It was under a 100 miles & he would have enough out of service hours before his next trip was to start.

 

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Clear as mud!!!

 

 

 

 

Ontario Proposes Amendments to HTA

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) would like to inform you of proposed amendments related to annual inspections.

MTO is proposing to exempt pickup trucks and trailers used exclusively for personal use from the requirement for an annual inspection. Details of the proposal are posted on the Regulatory Registry for public feedback until June 1, 2019.

Comments may be submitted through the Regulatory Registry posting, or via email to the attention of Susan Dolenec at cspo@ontario.ca.

Feedback will be reviewed and taken into consideration. Adjustments to the proposal may be made, based on this feedback, prior to seeking approval.


Subject: Regulatory Registry - Amendments to O.Reg. 413/05, Vehicle Weights and Dimensions (VWD) for Safe, Productive, and Infrastructure-Friendly (SPIF) Vehicles
Ontario Heavy Vehicle Stakeholders,
The Ontario Ministry of Transportation would like to inform you and your members of potential amendments to Ontario Regulation 413/05, Vehicle Weights and Dimensions (VWD) for Safe, Productive, and Infrastructure-Friendly (SPIF) Vehicles.

The amendments include the following:

• Eliminate the need for special vehicle configuration permits currently required to operate long wheelbase tractors with multi-axle semitrailers, longer saddlemounts, and semitrailers equipped with smart lift axles.
• The same tire weight allowance for wide based single tires as to dual tires when mounted on single axles;
• Loading of boats on stinger-steer auto carriers under the same weight and dimensional limits;
• Modify the conditions to allow the use of an Emergency Lift Axle Override, so to lift the self-steering axle in emergency situations improving the general safety operation of the truck.

The above-note amendments are detailed in the regulatory registry posted here:
https://www.ontariocanada.com/registry/view.do…

Comments posted to the regulatory registry must be submitted by the date indicated,June 1, 2019.

Once the comment period is closed, the Ministry will review comments reviewed toward considering adjustments to the proposed regulation, before moving forward toward implementation.

Please note that the for the Emergency Lift Axle Override in-cab controls, the regulation is proposed to reflect the following:
• Subsection 5 (2) of the Regulation would be amended to reflect the requirement, if requested by the customer, for an Emergency Lift Axle Override control within the cab of the truck.
◦ If the truck or tractor was built on or after January 1, 2020, the control is an emergency lift axle override control that meets all of the following conditions:
 It allows the driver from the cab of the truck or tractor to lift, alter or deploy the weight on a self-steering axle of the truck or of any drawn trailer.
 It is separate and independent from the 4-way flasher control.
 The words “Emergency Lift Axle Override” appear adjacent to the control.
 It activates the emergency 4-way flashers.
 It only lifts, alters or deploys,
• in the case of a tractor-trailer combination, the most forward self-steering axle of the semi-trailer, or
• in the case of a truck, the self-steering axle or forced-steer auxiliary pusher axle.
 It begins the lifting or altering of weight immediately upon activation.
 It does not allow the axle to be lifted or its weight altered when the truck or vehicle combination is travelling at a speed over 60 kilometres per hour.
 It fully deploys the self-steering axle,
• immediately upon the vehicle stopping,
• immediately upon the tractor power being turned off, and
• within three minutes after the lifting or altering of weight.

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