Vehicle Weight and Dimension Reforms in Ontario

During the period 2000 through 2010, Ontario introduced a four-phase overhaul of the Vehicle Weight and Dimension (VW&D) regulations. The main purpose of the reforms is to cause a migration to vehicles that are designated as Safe, Productive, and Infrastructure-Friendly (SPIF). The changes address excessive damage to provincial and municipal roads and bridges and are expected to reduce the numbers of tractor-trailer collisions, while maintaining industry productivity.

Regulations governing SPIF vehicles are more straightforward, in order to improve compliance and enforcement. Characteristics of SPIF vehicles are carefully prescribed and include that the vehicles must be:

• Equipped with fixed axles, or a combination of fixed and self-steering axles, that do not need to be raised for cornering;
• Able to automatically distribute weight over all axles to minimize infrastructure wear;
• Tested against national performance targets to ensure satisfactory stability and control and reduced risk of roll-overs and jack-knifes;

Industry productivity is maintained by allowing similar payloads as those for previous vehicles.

Each phase of the reform project dealt with a different grouping of vehicles. There was a need to group the various types of vehicles and deal with them separately because of complex technical, economic, and operational issues. Vehicle groupings and implementation dates were as follows:

1. Non-dump light semi-trailers (3 axle or less), implemented in January 2001.
2. All dump semi-trailers, implemented in January 2003.
3. Heavy semi-trailers (4 axle or more) and double trailers, implemented in January 2006.
4. Trucks, truck-trailers, buses, and remaining vehicles, implemented in July 2011.

The amended Ontario Regulation 413/05 of the Highway Traffic Act titled, "Vehicle Weights and Dimensions — for Safe, Productive and Infrastructure-Friendly Vehicles" is available through the e-laws web site:

www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_050413_e.htm

Non-SPIF vehicles, excluding 53’ semi-trailers and other long tractor-trailer combinations, can legally operate in Ontario at reduced gross vehicle weights under what is now a VW&D two-tier system.

For more information: Vehicle Weights and Dimensions Reforms — FAQ