Thousands in fines issued to two truckers for alleged vehicle maintenance issues

FORT NELSON, B.C. — A pair of tandem big-rig drivers are facing thousands of dollars in fines after allegedly failing to maintain their aging truck.

BC RCMP Highway Patrol officers said the two drivers — both Alberta residents — were pulled over in a black semi-truck with no trailer on July 28th at 11:20 a.m., on Highway 97 near Fort Nelson.

“The truck’s tandem drivers said they needed gas, but when they were allowed to go, they did not return for the required inspection,” police claimed. “Soon afterwards, a BC Highway Patrol officer tracked the drivers down and found them trying to make roadside repairs.”

Inspecting officers at the scene allegedly found the truck had no functioning rear suspension and the drivers’ logs weren’t in order.

The pair were fined $1,018, given a list of local mechanics and told to fix the problem before driving again.

Later that same day, at roughly 6 p.m., the same officer saw the same truck being driven on Highway 97, and reportedly pulled it over to find the same pair of drivers, inaccurate log books and non-functioning rear suspension.

As such, the pair was fined an additional $1,927. Officers also said the truck was issued a Notice and Order — a legal document issued if a vehicle isn’t road legal — had its licence plates seized, and was towed at the drivers’ expense to the nearest truck mechanic.

“Not only do bad commercial truck drivers make the roads unsafe for everyone, they also undercut the reputation of good truck drivers,” says Corporal Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol. “Following safety and maintenance laws costs money. Our job as police is to make breaking the law more expensive.”