B.C. minister of transportation and infrastructure, Rob Fleming, recently tabled Bill 23, which proposes to mandate speed limiters on heavy-duty commercial vehicles.
“This legislation requires drivers to use appropriate care around pedestrians and cyclists, supports enforcement of regulations, and sets a strong foundation for testing and evaluating new technology and policies as we shift to a net-zero future in B.C.,” Fleming said in a press release.
B.C. would become the third province, after Ontario and Quebec, to mandate speed limiters. Those provinces cap speeds of commercial trucks at 105 km/h
“The BCTA is pleased to see the province take action today to address safety concerns while providing more pathways to adopting advancing transportation technologies,” Dave Earle, BCTA president and CEO, said in a statement.
“We’ve advocated for speed limiters on heavy-duty commercial vehicles because the data shows they dramatically reduce the number of at-fault speed-related accidents. Additionally, speed limiters help green our sector by curbing fuel consumption and emissions generated by trucks traveling at high speeds. These amendments will benefit the trucking industry and British Columbians as a whole.”
Penalties will be in place for drivers who do not activate the speed limiter in their vehicle, set the limiter to the prescribed speed, or those who tamper with or modify the device, the ministry said.