Project Cargo Corridor permits simplify trucking trip approvals
Commercial truck drivers will experience significant time savings on their journeys, thanks to a new streamlined provincial and municipal trip permitting process. The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, together with several Lower Mainland municipalities and the commercial transport industry, are making Project Cargo Corridor permits available. This streamlines the provincial and municipal trip permitting process for travel to and from Lower Mainland ports and the Alberta border. This is expected to save the trucking industry time and increase confidence for carriers and shippers in order to attract more specialized products through B.C. ports. Project Cargo Corridor permits pre-approve travel for commercial trucks between two major Lower Mainland ports (Fraser Surrey Docks and Lynnterm East Gate) and the Alberta border via Highway 16. The trucks are no longer required to complete the traditional extraordinary-load approval process. It applies to commercial vehicles with the following specifications: • configuration: eightto 13-axle superloads • gross combined vehicle weight: up to 125,000 kilograms • overall height: up to 4.88 metres
• overall width: up to five metres
• overall length: up to 50 metres
Other loads of this size require an extraordinary-load approval, which can take up to 12 business days. This is because of the analysis required to ensure the vehicle’s weight and dimensions will not damage infrastructure along the trip route. By having pre-approved vehicle specifications and routing in place, trip approvals on these Project Cargo Corridors can occur within two business days. To make this happen, the ministry has signed information-sharing agreements with municipalities along the corridor, including the District of North Vancouver, the City of Vancouver, the City of Burnaby, the City of Langley, the Township of Langley, the City of Abbotsford and the City of Surrey.
The BC Trucking Association and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority also contributed to the development of Project Cargo Corridor permits. The new permit process will be evaluated throughout the first year of operation, with potential to expand to other highway corridors in the future.