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Post by northernfarmer on Feb 21, 2023 10:51:35 GMT -6
I have no clue as to what the current regulations are in regards to emergency or plow trucks, tow trucks etc are in other provinces but I see from this article that in Alberta they are making some changes to the initial rules they came out with a few years ago. I was not aware that one had to legally slow down for a highways department pickup pulled off to the side of the road but I gather it comes down to any vehicle flashing any sort of lights, better slow down and now on either side of a two way road unless its a divided highway.
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Post by meskie on Feb 21, 2023 11:01:10 GMT -6
I generally slow down anyway for a vehicle that is pulled over on the road. Lights flashing or not. Lots of people do not.
There are so many vehicles that have flashing lights now I think motorists just get used to seeing them and it doesn’t phase them that they should slow down.
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Post by kevlar on Feb 21, 2023 11:50:33 GMT -6
I’m fairly certain that Manitoba has had those regulations in effect for awhile now. Definitely for first responders, highway department and other workers were added a few years ago.
A big problem is like Meskie said, so many things have flashing lights for no real reason at all, that shouldn’t be allowed. I see a lot of vehicles pulled over, probably for cell phones, which is good, but quite often I see them pulled over, but with the drivers side tires still on the pavement in the driving lane and 4-5 feet of room to the passenger side that they could pull over to. Then of course you get all the drivers that put on their hazards and drive half on the road and half on the shoulder at the first sign of a snow flake or drop of rain, those drivers I find dangerous and shouldn’t be on the road if they are that uncomfortable driving.
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Post by northernfarmer on Feb 21, 2023 13:26:55 GMT -6
So from what you are saying Kevlar, this updated rule to make sure all vehicles with flashing lights are included as well as expanding the speed limit to any lane period on a two way road or all lanes on a one way road is what you've already had in place. A law like this does make the most sense from a safety stand point, sure I imagine some will whine about it but the main goal is to prevent a traffic pile up from high speeds in a congested spot and that this new rule takes the guess work out of thinking one can go flying by a situation like that because the law said I could ( rather then using ones head and being cautious ). Where that puts the law as far as those that are in non emergency vehicles pulled off to the side of the road with either their hazards on or their right hand turn signal on because they are yacking on the phone, that is a good question as its a non emergency vehicle in a non emergency situation.
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Post by northernfarmer on Apr 11, 2024 7:50:56 GMT -6
This isn't on topic of this thread but I saw this in the local news paper today so I looked it up on the Alberta government website and on the PDF link I interpret to also mean that the air brake endorsement course is not required either. Mind you this is only for an immediate family member of the farm so its not like some relative or just anyone can can get the license as an employee of a farmer. So other than the no requirement for the air brake course, its basically the same as before all this MELT program started in getting the license but the license is very restrictive since it can't be used to drive anyone elses truck or be hired to drive, or drive out of province. At least this gives a way to get the license and then decide at some point if one wants to get the non restricted license.
And by the way I don't think Alberta followed through on the safety of passing emergency vehicles sitting on a road, they said they were going to do it last spring and didn't and then was supposed to have a campaign to promote it last fall and I don't think it happened then either. I could be wrong, maybe I missed hearing about it so not sure.
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Post by OptimallyDismal on Apr 11, 2024 8:16:18 GMT -6
On the driver front The clown that caused all the MELT programs is set for a deportation hearing in May apparently, they are fighting it and his young son has very high medical requirements! This guy just keeps giving, how much has he cost Canadians? It now costs $15,000 to get a class 1, unless you have a towel on your head, then you go to their guys and get it cheap with a fake certificate of doing the course. Canada can't stop shooting themselves in the head, immigration is such a great thing. The article says they are trying other ways to keep this guy here: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/humboldt-broncos-truck-driver-deportation-1.7167176 |
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Post by Oatking on Apr 11, 2024 11:21:47 GMT -6
That sucks how the system favours “ you people “ 😉🤦♂️.
15 thousand is a big cost for 120 hour course
I realize it’s way better than nothing . I took the melt course to finally get my class 1
The cost of my course was 8500 but the province of mb had a 5500 dollar rebate . I don’t know if that rebate exists now ?
It’s amazing how many tandem pups are running around now with out needing safety .
Some units look like a super b
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Post by meskie on Apr 11, 2024 12:23:48 GMT -6
The problem with the cost is the drivers aren’t any better then they were with the old course.
I also think that farm trucks and trailers should need a yearly safety.
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Post by OptimallyDismal on Apr 11, 2024 19:09:29 GMT -6
I disagree with the yearly safety, I don't put many miles on in a year, 2000 would be tops with 1500 more likely, at that rate I am paying $1 a mile just for a safety inspection, which also averages $1500 for the truck and trailer. There is not anything major or urgent with my outfit and I don't wear much out.
I think there are a lot of people in my same situation and it is a royal PITA to get a safety done let alone a good one, where they don't take stuff apart and break or damage things in the process. Most of my repairs are the result of poor workmanship during these inspections.
We are fixated with safety and it costs us a bundle, we are overboard with this.
I am thinking of going with the tandem as well to avoid this BS.
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Post by meskie on Apr 11, 2024 19:27:01 GMT -6
You need to find a better shop. Last safety we got done was $250. You don’t need to take anything apart for a safety in sask anyway its all visual. Farm Trucks need to pass all the requirements if the DOT stop you and there is a lot less hassle if you have the sticker on your window. So the parts you put on are going to be needed with or without a safety. We go through our trucks and trailers before we take them in and generally its a lick and stick at the shop. Couple different shops we take them to will let us take them home and fix what’s needed if we want. Then its a small fee for re-inspection if we want. A couple times we have done that and not taken them back.
Farm tandems are likely the trucks that need a safety more then most from what I’ve seen ours included. They dont go more then a mile from home hauling silage is all they are used for.
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Post by northernfarmer on Apr 11, 2024 19:39:29 GMT -6
I am so glad so far that Alberta has not adopted the inspections for farm trucks and trailers but I can understand both sides as no one wants to be sharing the road with unsafe crap and yet myself as well, so few km get put on the trucks and trailers in a years time as in a mere fraction of what a commercial hauler would rack up in a year. Even though the unit is exempt because of being farm licensed, it still has to meet all the same requirements that a commercial/yearly inspected unit would have to meet. Now lets say Alberta became over run with farming towel heads ... then look the Fak out as we would see carnage just like the constant crap that happens over there. Unfortunately we are seeing the effects as per commercial haulers that abide by their native land mentality.
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Post by kevlar on Apr 11, 2024 19:51:30 GMT -6
An annual inspection doesn’t cost that much, unless it needs some work, in Manitoba the wheels have to be pulled every second year for a closer look at the breaks. And like Meski said if you get pulled over, it needs to pass inspection whether it’s saftied or not. I’d bet 3/4 of all farm trucks would fail a safety. We don’t get our tandem saftied but am considering it just for the piece of mind even though it gets run through the shop regularly and everything that needs attention gets fixed. In the long run it’s cheaper to keep it maintained for a safety than to let it get run down over time. Whenever someone says farm trucks shouldn’t be held to the same standard as a commercial truck, I ask them if it’s better to have your family killed by some neglected farm truck with no brakes or a commercial truck. And it’s more likely that a truck that doesn’t get used often will have more issues with seized brake components, corroded wires and air leaks. It’s just a matter of time before farm trucks need saftied, just need a bad enough accident with enough people killed.
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Post by OptimallyDismal on Apr 11, 2024 21:39:39 GMT -6
They used to do the visual check and use a prybar to wiggle things, limited the shop to 1 hour for trailers and 2 hr for trucks, so it was $200 to $300 for the inspection, I do my own repairs, now the sky is the limit as they can do what they want for their inspections and if it is the 2 year wheels off one they figure at least a day for the truck alone. If you could get an inspection for $250 here they would be booked up a year in advance. As it is they are at least a month now. The shops can't keep up around here.
I would be happy to go back to that system.
Where do you get a reasonable inspection Kevlar, I would certainly be interested.
As far as that goes the DOT are a bunch of overzealous authorities as well, they are proud of the fact that they can find out of service faults on a brand new truck, way to go boys, that sure helps get things done.
I won't say that all trucks on the road are in great shape, but the pendulum has swung too far with these inspections. Ontario started the wheels off thing and look at all the wheels that came off since, due to improper installation by the supposed professionals. Also those hot shot DOT guys did a 1 day course in truck inspections, and they are certainly not mechanics for the most part.
Tell me I'm wrong.
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Post by SWMan on Apr 11, 2024 22:00:32 GMT -6
You're not wrong, but there is more than a few sketchy farm tandems on the road. Granted the farmer likely knows how to handle things, but having the basics like brakes and lights working well is important for everyone.
It's unfortunate that a few bad apples spoil it for everyone. Many guys take care of their stuff and never would need a safety requirement to be required.
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Post by hardrockacres on Apr 12, 2024 7:57:15 GMT -6
When I was service manager at a truck shop we offered safetys on farm trucks at a reduced rate to try and entice them to come in. As Meskie mentioned the farmer that had the sticker were treated almost with awave from DOT if stopped as they had gone over and above what they had to do. Now some only had it done every 2nd year but it is better than none. Here the Gov mandates the "time" you have to charge for a safety, but not the rate. Farmers complain about the couple hundred bucks for a safety but will buy a million dollar combine at the drop of a hat. Or add on a 30k option to a air seeder and say "it doesn't much add % wise to the overall cost". Its ridiculous. I had a semi/b-train come in the shop to have an oil leak fixed on the engine. Drove it in the shop and when we stopped it did not feel right, tech started looking and all the brakes but 1 on the trailers were caged, and there were only 3 brakes uncaged on the truck. Talked to farmer about fixing the brakes and was told "no that will cut into my vacation fund". We saw many farm trucks in similar states of repair...not good. It doesnt matter if you drive 1000 miles/per year or 100,000, once you are loaded you carry the same weight and can do the same damage in an accident as a commercial operator. 42T on a b-train is the same regardless if Q-line is hauling tothe terminal or you are doing it yourself.
Now I do believe that all farm trucks should get a safety, but it should not be the 6 months that commercial tractor units need. But maybe a time/mileage option. Remember things like hoses etc rot even when sitting from sun, weather etc. I know even my farm trucks would not pass a safety today, mechanically the brakes/steering/etc is good, mine would fail on windshield cracks and burnt out clearance lights.
Do I think it will ever happen....no...not until a farmer is involved in a major crash, say with a school bus. Be a similar situation to the Humboldt Bronco crash where every organization goes into overdrive making new regulations. Be much simpler if it were implemented now prior to any accident when ppl are not rushing to make changes. Questiosn is how would you feel /react if it were you that has that crash?
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