LETTER – Crackdown needed on incompetent, untrained semi drivers

Dear Mr. Rothenburger;

I am a professional driver, a charter bus driver with TRAXX.

I would like to comment on the problems with commercial Semi trucks that drive our highways.
Firstly, they are incompetent and untrained!

We all have electronic log books now, so they cannot get away with the violations as much as in the past, (double log books) but they still do manipulate the system. We are allowed to drive 13 hours in a 24-hr period. (which is too much BTW), so these idiots will speed horrendously to get as far as they can in 13 hours.

I see so many bad drivers on our highways. News reports are always coming in about another semi / vehicle collision(s), and the poor motorist in their smaller vehicle gets the blame.

I have seen these monster trucks roar past me on the highway, going so fast that they arc out into the opposite, oncoming lanes on curves and double solid lines. They pass on double solid lines more than you care to know.

I have seen close calls that send shivers down my spine, and when a collision happens, the truck driver seems to be the so called ‘innocent’ victim. The Semi in probably most cases was the one who directly caused the accident.

Another example: On the Coquihalla, especially at night, there are no police, no CVSE, and these idiots drive like mad men. I’ve been close to being run off the road in my bus several times.

There are still quite a bit of construction zones for the pipeline, and bridge repairs that will never end, but still, 70 kph construction speed zones. These apparently don’t apply to Semi drivers. They blow through these construction zones at normal highway speed (120 +). I’ve seen their trailers bounce on the un-even pavement wondering when it will flip over.

Dash cams will not help, only severe speed enforcement by the authorities will.

There are also many unlicensed drivers who sleep in the back berth and switch out, it’s common knowledge.

The CVSE has no meat, their lack of presence is alarming.

So here is the problem… Speeding drivers and no law enforcement. Remember when Semi drivers were courteous professional drivers, they didn’t speed, they didn’t tailgate, they signalled. The ‘old school’ is gone.

My solution is for a major clamp down on unlicensed, unqualified drivers driving poorly maintained vehicles. TRIPLE the $ amount of the ticket.

LIMIT THE SPEED of commercial vehicles to 90 kph, NO EXCEPTIONS, and start handing out very pricey offence tickets and impounding vehicles for non compliance.

I know this will not change, because it takes government to change things, and you know better than anyone how slow bureaucracy works.

The speed limit on the Coq should also be lowered for EVERY vehicle. 120 IS TOO FAST!!!
Thank you for reading my rant.

BRIAN CISSELL
Kamloops