OTA staff recently met with Ontario Provincial Police officers from a detachment contracted to enforce the rules of the road in relation to the Criminal Code and the Highway Traffic Act, which includes drivers who try to avoid paying tolls on the 407 highway.
The 407 detachment, which is made up of 38 officers, are responsible for enforcement of the Highway Traffic Act as it relates tolling and transponders. Hwy 407 is currently the only highway in the province requiring commercial motor vehicles to carry transponders.
While commercial vehicle compliance has increased since the 407 detachment was created in 2006, attempted cheating – particularly by independent operators – still persists. These tactics include: Removing the transponder before the truck goes through the ramp gantry; placing an older or non-working transponder in the dash; taking the transponder on and off to try and get gantry recordings of shorter distances travelled; using a passenger car transponder for lower rates; obstructing or relocating plates around the bumper to hide it from the camera, etc.
Police warn, however, that selected units are now equipped with new technology designed to identify all types of scofflaws. Devices affixed to both sides of police vehicles scan passing trucks and are able to detect non-working transponders, improper transponders or missing transponders from commercial vehicles. In other words, if drivers are cheating, it’s almost guaranteed they’ll get caught.
This new technology most importantly adds to the safety of truckers and officers by minimizing the number of roadside traffic stops along our busy roadways.
In the meeting with OPP, police also asked OTA to remind carriers – especially those with U.S. operations – that E-ZPass is not a substitute for a 407 transponder.