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June 2, 1997
(Government Services and Lands)

Road Check 1997

Ernest McLean, Minister of Government Services and Lands, announced today that Newfoundland and Labrador will join with every other Canadian, US and Mexican jurisdiction, June 3, 4, and 5 for a 72 hour road check, completing safety inspections on some 50,000 trucks, 3,000 buses, and their drivers, continent wide.

Provincial highway enforcement officers accompanied by members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police will converge on Foxtrap weigh scales for a full 72 hour round the clock inspection starting at midnight on June 2.

Mr. McLean said that the theme for Road Check 1997 is People, Programs and Partnership, with a particular focus on wheel maintenance, due to the problems being experienced throughout Canada. Road Check 1997 is a joint effort among all jurisdictions, the Canadian trucking industry and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) as part of an ongoing commitment to build a cooperative partnership with the trucking industry on road safety issues.

In keeping with current procedures, commercial vehicles will be subject to an on-road CVSA inspection. If serious safety violations are found the vehicle will be removed from service and not be permitted to proceed until repaired. Unqualified drivers will be removed from service.

Nationwide, the 1996 road check resulted in 32.6 per cent of heavy trucks being placed out of service for a variety of vehicle defects. Only 1.5 per cent of the drivers inspected were placed out of service for log book or documentation problems.

Mr. McLean invites anyone interested in viewing a weigh scale station to drop in at either one of the department's locations at Foxtrap, Goobies, Grand Falls-Windsor, Pynn's Brook and Port aux Basques. An Open House will take place Friday, June 6. People are invited to drop in for a tour of the facilities and to see how a truck is weighed.

• Contact:
  Kim Durdle
  Manager, Transportation Regulation Enforcement
  (709) 729-3454
  Rick Callahan
  Director of Communications
  (709) 729-4860