In another part of its pre-budget submission to the Government of Canada, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) highlighted the need to increase funding for truck rest area parking capacity along Canada’s national highway system (NHS) and to invest in transportation infrastructure and training supports in the Territories.
The NHS forms the backbone of Canada’s major road freight corridors and the engineering guidelines established decades ago indicate rest areas should be provided every one to two hours apart by driving distance. Rest areas support professional truck drivers in meeting their hours-of-service obligations.
“We owe it to the hard-working women and men in the trucking industry to ensure they have the on-road facilities they need as they move our national economy forward,” said Geoff Wood, Sr VP, Policy Canadian Trucking Alliance.
CTA’s submission also focused on the need for greater cooperation and leadership from the federal government when it comes to investments highways in the Northwest Territories and the Yukon.
“CTA member fleets support road-connected communities all across the Territories and additional funding to maintain and enhance infrastructure and training will benefit those communities and open a host of future economic development opportunities,” said Wood.
Specific examples highlighted in the pre-budge submission include increased funding for the maintenance of the Dempster Highway in the Yukon, investments to assist in the rebuilding of fire damaged trucking infrastructure in Enterprise NWT, and to focus on expanding truck training school options in Yellowknife.
For a full copy of the CTA pre-budget submission, CTA member carriers can contact their provincial trucking association.