An aging semi-truck and trailer made its way from Burnaby to Coquitlam Tuesday with a full load of gravel, rocks and boulders – and way too many safety problems to stay on the road, according to police.
The unit was stopped at Pinetree Way near David Avenue in Coquitlam as part of a weeklong commercial vehicle enforcement blitz across the Lower Mainland.
A valve that’s supposed to protect the truck’s air brakes in the case of a trailer breakaway or severe air leak wasn’t working, an air line connected to the end-dump trailer was leaking because of a faulty seal, a tire on the trailer was “compromised,” the brake lights didn’t work, the truck’s steering mechanism was loose and there were problems with the unit’s licence plate and decals.
The trailer was also covered with loose rocks and debris waiting to rain down onto other vehicles’ windshields.
But you wouldn’t have known it from the driver’s pre-trip report, according to police.
That document said both the truck and trailer were in “perfect condition,” police said.
“It is unfortunate to see these types of violations,” said Burnaby RCMP Const. Kevin Connolly who inspected the vehicle. “Truck drivers know the importance of pre-trip inspections and safety on our roads.”
He said a truck and end-dump trailer can reach a combined weight of more than 50 tonnes.
Commercial vehicle checks in 2020 saw an average of about 52% of the trucks checked being taken off the road, according to Connolly.
In Burnaby, that number was 62%.
The city’s location, right in the middle of the Lower Mainland likely has something to do with the disparity, according to Connolly.
“Most trucks have to pass through us, so we’re going to get all sorts of stuff coming from all different places,” he said.
The ongoing enforcement blitz – part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Operation Safe Driver initiative – will touch down in Burnaby sometime this week, but Connolly is keeping the day and location under wraps.
Follow Cornelia Naylor on Twitter @CorNaylor
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