Ontario: safety ratings and Commercial Vehicle Operator's Registrations (CVORs)

By: Rick Grammick
Date: 1996-03-15

Comments (7)    Join conversation

At a 1996 seminar presented by the Hamilton-Niagara Regional Chapter of the Transportation Safety Council of Driver Trainers, Chris Brant from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) Carrier Safety Ratings Project explained upcoming Carrier Safety Ratings in Ontario, Canada, and how they will work.

Auditors will come equipped with a Commercial Vehicle Operator's Registration (CVOR) report, recent roadside Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) inspection reports, carrier accident history, and data from other carriers of equal size, for comparison purposes.

One half of the rating will focus on driver information files, recall systems, and log books. Carriers must maintain current driver licensing information, a recall system to track renewals, training records, accident records, and prove a system of monitoring drivers' log books.

It is expected that a carrier will match toll receipts, fuel stops, and any other available "time markers" to verify the information provided by the driver in the log book. This audit system will reveal mistakes and incorrect log book entries.

Markel's Fleet Safety department provides Road Observation Reports to insureds and these are acceptable as log book "time markers." Each Road Observation Report contains a time, a date and a location, and this information can be compared with a driver's log book. The carrier must assure that all drivers are in compliance with the Hours-of-Work regulations, and document corrective action for drivers who violate.

The other half of the Carrier Safety Rating will come from vehicle inspections, vehicle files, and maintenance records. Ratings will be similar to the U.S. category system of "Satisfactory," "Conditional" and "Unsatisfactory." However, there will be two new categories, "Excellent" and "Satisfactory Unaudited." Sanctions may be placed on the "Unsatisfactory" rating, for example, by declaring the carrier ineligible to transport dangerous goods in Ontario.

Following an unfavorable audit, the MTO will give the carrier written recommendations and arrange to conduct another audit in six months. Continued "Unsatisfactory" ratings could result in licensing sanctions or removal of operating privileges in Ontario.

Shippers are being educated by intelligent safety-conscious carriers to obtain CVOR and audit reports, and to understand the information provided. Safety is well worth the price.

Monitoring

Margaret Mooney from the MTO Carrier Control Office explained that her office monitors CVOR records for 90,000 carriers operating 175,000 heavy trucks in Ontario. There are two types of CVOR records available for $5.00 from MTO. The public record does not include the allowable demerit point threshold level, the carrier's current violation rate, demerit points assigned to entries, or fines paid. The carrier may obtain a CVOR record with all information included.

Information is kept on record for a period of five years and the automated monitoring system always looks at a two-year sliding window. Demerit points are assigned for all violations, detentions, convictions, and accidents. Much discussion took place at the seminar about how many demerit points an accident carries. Margaret Mooney explained that a truly non-preventable accident carries one demerit point, but if there is any reason to believe that action on the part of the driver was unsafe, then the accident carries 10 demerit points.

Allowable threshold levels are determined by multiplying the provincial averages for carriers of equal size by three. Demerit point violation rates are a two-year count. When the violation rate approaches the threshold level, MTO action is taken. The carrier is expected to submit an action plan and make a 25% improvement within three months.

More information is available from:
The Fleet Safety Department
Markel Insurance Co. of Canada
105 Adelaide St. West, 7th Floor
Toronto, Ontario M5H 1P9
Tel: (416) 364-7800
Fax: (416) 364-1625

Login or sign up to receive email notification
when a comment is added to this thread.

NOTE - You can cancel at any time, and we have a strict privacy policy which forbids us from sharing your email address or other information with any third party.