Transportation truck drivers have struck another two overpasses in B.C.
The Ministry of Transportation says it’s investigating the incidents, which occurred on Monday and Tuesday in Metro Vancouver.
The first involved an over-height cube truck in Stanley Park. It’s driver scraped a pedestrian overpass, which the Ministry of Transportation says was clearly marked with a “3.8-metre” maximum height sign. Vancouver police issued the driver a violation ticket for operating a vehicle without due care and attention.
The ministry says it is investigating the incident, but noted that the Stanley Park overpass is not provincial infrastructure. Provincial fines would apply, nonetheless.
The second strike occurred around 10 a.m. on Tuesday, when a commercial vehicle ran into the underside of the George Massey Tunnel underpass in Richmond. The ministry says it doesn’t believe the overpass was seriously damaged, but that Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement is assessing the scene.
This week’s incidents add to five overpass strikes investigated by the ministry so far this year. Three of those were determined to be the fault of the driver, while two others remain under review.
B.C. has been cracking down on drivers transporting over-height loads since last December, when it upped maximum fines from $115 to $575 – the highest in Canada. More recently, on May 12, Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said they are seeking to further increase penalties to up to $100,000 and a maximum of 18 months in jail, if a driver is convicted.
Fleming said at the time that overpass strikes since 2021 have caused millions of dollars in damage, as well as closures and supply chain disruptions.
He noted that the vast majority of drivers are following rules, but that a very small percentage need to receive stronger consequences. ‘
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