Alberta farmers hauling livestock, feed or implements out of the province are facing new Transport Canada regulations.
Other provinces had previously required commercial carriers including farmers to have safety fitness certification and logbooks, said Wayne Lilley of Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation.
“It is a big difference for Alberta farmers. Other jurisdictions have had farmers in their programs for years,” he said.
The national safety code has existed since the late 1980s, but this newest amendment means smaller carriers, including farmers, must comply. Those operating within the province continue to be exempt.
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Alberta regulates all carriers over 11,794 kilograms.
This amendment requires smaller vehicles leaving the province to be certified and registered.
A truck, tractor and trailer with a registered gross vehicle weight exceeding 4,500 kg, or a bus or van used for passenger transportation with a seating capacity of 11 or more people, must be registered if it leaves the province.
The certificate costs $50. Alberta does not require annual renewals.
Applications for the program are available through all Alberta registry offices or through the provincial government website. Logbooks are available at truck stops.
A safety fitness certificate is like a business licence to operate on a national basis and covers all vehicles the person may own.
A copy of the certificate must be kept in the vehicle.
“We keep track of every carrier that has one of these certificates and we monitor them for highway inspections and collisions they have,” Lilley said.
If the carrier demonstrates a poor safety record, the government intervenes to prevent further incidents.
Failure to comply could result in fines or a detained vehicle until certification is issued, said a notice from Alberta Transportation.
