Commercial Vehicles Must Install Real Time -Tracking Device in BC

The province says all of B.C.'s commercial vehicle fleet operators have six months to implement changes to how and when provincially regulated drivers clock on and off work.

Starting Aug. 1, all commercial vehicle carriers will be required to install electronic logging devices (ELDs) to track drivers' time behind the wheel, a move the transportation ministry says should improve road safety.

In a statement Monday, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure said provincially regulated carriers will have six months to install the ELDs across their fleets.

Minister Rob Fleming says the

ELDs should reduce the likelihood of drivers operating commercial vehicles while tired.

"Using technology to ensure that commercial drivers aren't on the road longer than they should be on a given day will protect their safety and the safety of others on B.C. highways," said Fleming.

According to B.C.'s Motor Vehicle Act regulations, a commercial carrier must not request, require or allow a driver to continue operating a vehicle for more than 13 hours at a time, unless the driver takes at least eight consecutive hours of time off before getting behind the wheel again.

The B.C. Trucking Association has long supported the use of

ELDs and says the move will increasing compliance with the MVA regulations.

"While there is no single fix for improved safety performance, a widespread requirement for technology that automates compliance and helps to promote effective safety programs will transform the industry for the better," said Dave Earle, president and CEO of the B.C. Trucking Association.

The shift follows federal ELD regulations, which Transport Canada established for the inter-provincial trucking sector in 2021. Enforcement of those regulations began in January this year.