Canadian authorities recently shut down two trucking companies in the Vancouver area in the aftermath of collisions with a vehicle tunnel and a highway sign.
The suspension of carriers TSD Holdings Inc. and International Machine Transport Inc. comes after another company — Chohan Freight Forwarders — was ordered to cease operations after one of its drivers struck an overpass Dec. 28 in Delta, British Columbia.
On Monday, International Machine Transport Inc. was issued an immediate suspension of the carrier’s 20-vehicle fleet after a company driver transporting a wrapped helicopter struck a highway sign at an overpass about 9 miles from downtown Vancouver.
“The driver had received an oversized permit, however the height exceeded what was stated on the permit,” according to a statement from the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
The overpass was not visibly damaged, but the top of the helicopter’s wrapping was torn open, according to CTV News. The accident is being investigated by the British Columbia Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement branch.
Monday’s accident follows another incident involving a tractor-trailer from TSD Holdings Inc., which struck the roof of the Massey Tunnel in the Vancouver area on Jan. 10.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the truck initially stopped inside the tunnel after the collision, but then continued driving through before pulling over to talk with a municipal road maintenance crew. The truck driver then continued onward.
Authorities reviewed dashcam footage from a vehicle behind the truck to confirm witness statements and identify the trucking company, which also had its fleet of 20 vehicles grounded pending an investigation by the ministry.
The Ministry of Transportation recorded 17 overpass collisions involving tractor-trailers in 2023.
On Dec. 14, the agency announced new rules and stricter fines for carriers involved in accidents, including the requirement for dump-style vehicles to have in-cab warning devices notifying drivers if their trailers have not been lowered.
Over-height-vehicle fines increased from $115 to as much as $575, the highest in the country, according to a news release.
The ministry suspended 65-truck carrier Chohan Freight Forwarders after one of its trucks crashed into an overpass in the municipality of Delta on Dec. 28.
It was the sixth crash involving Chohan Freight Forwarders and an overpass in the past two years. A Chohan-driven truck struck the same overpass in February 2022.
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