Urgent:OOIDA Call to Action - Ontario Members
June 2, 2006

Urgent: Ontario truckers! The Ontario Parliament is close to passing a bill that would make speed limiters mandatory for all trucks doing business in Ontario. It is vital you contact members of the Legislature's Standing Committee of Finance and Economic Affairs to share your views as a professional truck driver.

The legislation - Bill 115 - is a carbon copy of the Ontario Trucking Association's suggestion that all truck computers be set to govern maximum speeds at 105 kilometers per hour, which is about 65 mph.

The proposal would include all heavy trucks operating in Ontario that have ECMs, which became standard in 1995. A plan for enforcement would have to be worked out.

Ontario is the first province to take up the speed limiter issue in its legislature. Other provinces may follow suit, if the OTA and the Canadian Trucking Alliance have anything to say about it.

OTA President David Bradley is also the CEO of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, which represents all eight provincial motor-carrier associations. All eight associations are on board to push for mandatory speed limiters in their jurisdictions, according to press releases issued this spring.

Opponents to a government mandate include the Owner-Operators' Business Association of Canada and the U.S.-based Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. Both groups cite studies done on the dangers of widening speed differentials between four-wheelers and heavy trucks.

The committee will make a recommendation back to the full legislature on Bill 115, which will then cast a lawmaking vote.

Committee members' contact information:

Chair: Pat Hoy
E-mail: phoy.mpp@liberal.ola.org
Telephone: (416) 325-9099
Fax: (416) 325-9000

Vice-Chair: Phil McNeely
E-mail: pmcneely.mpp@liberal.ola.org
Tel: (416) 325-0505
Fax: (416) 325-0532

Liz Sandals
E-mail: lsandals.mpp@liberal.ola.org
Tel: (416) 326-8506
Fax: (416) 325-4136

Ted Arnott
E-mail: ted.arnott@pc.ola.org
Tel: (416) 325-3880
Fax: (416) 325-6649

Wayne Arthurs
warthurs.mmp@liberal.ola.org
Tel: (416) 325-3581
Fax: (416) 325-3453

Michael Prue
mprue-qp@ndp.on.ca
Tel: (416) 325-1303
Fax: (416) 325-1367

Carol Mitchell
cmitchell.mpp@liberal.ola.org
Tel: (416) 325-1209
Fax: (416) 325-1198

Phil McNeely
E-mail: pmcneely.mpp@liberal.ola.org
Tel: (416) 325-0505
Fax: (416) 325-0532

Judy Marsales
E-mail: jmarsales.mpp@liberal.ola.org
Tel: (416) 325-0605
Fax: (416) 325-0694

Toby Barrett
E-mail: toby.barrett@pc.ola.org
Tel: (416) 325-8404
Fax: (416) 325-8408

Clerk: Douglas Arnott
E-mail: douglas_arnott@ontla.ola.org
Tel: (416) 325-3506
Fax: (416) 325-3505
TTY: (416) 325-3538