Happy New Year!
As we begin 2025, we look forward to continuing to provide valuable information to our association members. We are pleased to start the year sharing some positive news. In late December 2024, the Province of Manitoba announced its 5-Year Strategy for Manitoba Infrastructure. This strategic plan has been well-received by our clear path forward for investment in infrastructure – a critical area for Manitoba’s growth.
Infrastructure requires not only sustained investment but also the implementation of effective safety initiatives to ensure our roads remain safe for all users. We encourage you to take a moment to review the strategy through the link provided below.
Additionally, new regulations in Manitoba aim to address a long-standing issue in the trucking industry – the practice of chameleon carriers – where trucking companies with poor safety records shut down and reappear under new names to avoid accountability.
Here’s a summary of the changes and their implications:
Screening New Applicants:
- Starting January 1, Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure (MTI) can evaluate new trucking companies applying for safety fitness certificates.
- Officials can investigate if the directors or officers of new firms were involved in another transportation business within the past 12 months.
- Relationships between new directors and officers and those of existing or past firms (e.g. familial ties) are also scrutinized.
Vehicle and Driver Usage:
- Companies are flagged if more than 50% of their vehicles or drivers overlap with another business in the past year.
Conditional Safety Ratings:
- Instead of automatically receiving a “satisfactory unaudited” safety rating, flagged companies may now receive a “conditional” rating, subjecting them to stricter oversight.
Responsibility to Justify Connections:
- New applicants must explain any connections to poorly rated or suspended operations.
We look forward to sharing more positives industry changes throughout the year!
Warm regards,
Bruce Henley
Stakeholder Relations Manager
