2017 Changes To Alberta Commercial Vehicle Inspection Regulations

What are some of the regulation changes and what do I do?

     Welcome to 2017! It’s a new year now, and as usual, there are some new changes to go along with it. One of the biggest for us is the Alberta government’s new regulations that came into effect regarding commercial vehicle inspections.

     If you haven’t been keeping up with this news, starting this January the province has updated the criteria of what it takes for a commercial vehicle to pass an inspection. While much of the inspection remains the same, there are a few notable changes – and one of the biggest of those is how they inspect and measure brakes.

     The government regulations have gotten stricter when it comes to brakes now. At the time of your CVIP, documentation of your new truck purchase must prove that it was purchased or that you have had a new brake job within the last 12 months – from a certified shop, with a certified mechanic’s signature. The brakes must be inspected by following new procedures, meaning that either the brake backing plates or the wheels and brake drums must be removed in order to perform the full inspection.

     Another big change to the guidelines is the acceptability of fluid leakage. There are now three levels of grading on this, depending on the severity, and clean hoses and connection systems are a must for a successful inspection. Depending on the system or component, if there is even a spot on the floor under your unit from a drip, that means there is a leak – and it will fail an inspection. That’s one more area that is easy to overlook – the underside of your truck is out of sight most of the time – but it gets plenty of rock impacts and road debris, so it’s important to maintain it to high standards so you can keep up with your schedule.

     While these are just two of the big changes to this year’s inspection procedure, there are others that could affect you as well. You don’t want to be caught off-guard on the road, and stopped due to a safety infraction because of a rule you didn’t even know was enforced. So what’s the best thing to do? Well, let West Tech Mobile make sure you’re good to go!

     We can either come to you, or you can bring your truck to our shop in Calgary’s industrial area, and our highly trained technicians can make sure every part of your unit is in compliance with Alberta’s laws – both old and new. You’ll have all the proper documentation and records, as well as the certified signature you need to prove your unit’s safety validity. And while we’re under the hood, we can even check everything else and make notes of any issues that may arise in the future – allowing you to catch and mitigate them before they become major problems. Just another bonus of using our business!

     Visit us at #22, 5555 51 Ave SE in Calgary, or call us at 403.265.5699 to book your inspection today. You’ll be glad you did!