I use my van that weighs 2500 kg to haul a trailer that weighs 900 kg and is 10.1 metres long. Do I have to be entered in the Register?
No. The following combinations of road vehicles are exempted from the application of the Act respecting owners and operators of heavy vehicles: combinations of road vehicles of which each vehicle has a net mass of 3000 kg or less provided that the length of the trailer or semi-trailer, including the hitch system, is 10 metres or less.
However, this exemption does not apply to combinations of road vehicles that require danger placards in accordance with the provisions of Part 4 of the Transportation of Dangerous Substances Regulation made by Order in Council 866-2002 dated 10 July 2002. It also does not apply to road vehicles transporting dangerous substances in means of containment of 450 litres or more.
What will happen if I am not entered in the Register of the Commission des transports du Québec?
Since April 1, 1999, it is prohibited to drive on Québec roads or to operate a heavy vehicle covered by the Act without being entered in the Registre of the Commission des transports. The Act has been enforced in its entirety since July 1, 1999. Failure to comply with this requirement means that you will not be able to drive your heavy vehicle until you have registered. You may also be fined $500.
I rented a truck to move my belongings. Does the Act affect me?
No. As the owner of a heavy vehicle destined for temporary use for personal purposes you are exempted from being entered in the Registre. The same exemption applies if you use, for personal purposes, house trailers, motor homes, or trucks or buses that been permanently converted into a dwelling. The people who own such motorized vehicles or operate them are not required to register with the Commission des transports.
Is that true that a heavy vehicle driver who commits an offence under the Highway Safety Code can affect his employer's conduct review file?
Yes. A heavy vehicle driver who commits an offence under the Highway Safety Code can affect his employer's conduct review file and safety rating, but only if the offence is committed within the framework of his work and the driver is driving a heavy vehicle. Once informed of the offence, the employer may intervene with regard to the employee.
I transport timber in the forest. Am I subject to the Act?
Yes. The Act respecting owners and operators of heavy vehicles applies to any road open to public vehicular traffic, i.e. public highways, forest roads, private roads, shopping centre lots and any other lots where public travel is authorized.
I transport passengers in a 15-place van. Am I required to be entered in the Register of the Commission des transports?
Yes. The Highway Safety Code stipulates that a motor vehicle having two axles with single wheels, and equipped with not more than five rows of seats for the transportation of not more than 24 passengers is considered a minibus. Minibuses, regardless of their mass, are covered by the Act respecting owners and operators of heavy vehicles and therefore must be entered in the Registre of the Commission. Several provisions of the Highway Safety Code apply: compliance with the maximum driving and duty time, pre-departure inspections, preventive maintenance, periodical mechanical inspections, commercial registration, Class IV B licences, etc.
I own a heavy vehicle and would like to consult my conduct review file. How do I go about it?
You can find out about your file, at no cost, by phoning or sending a written request to the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec. Third parties may also obtain a copy of your conduct review file. All they have to do is make a written request to that effect, including a cheque for the $8 fee and your authorization.
May I consult the decisions of the Commission des transports and company safety ratings?
Yes. The public has access to the decisions and company safety ratings free of charge. You may consult them on the Commission des transports du Québec site.
