TORONTO — The head of the Ontario Trucking Association has written to the Minister of Health Promotion, Margarett R. Best, about clarifying for drivers the rules regarding truckers smoking in their cabs.

OTA president David Bradley says he is requesting the minister meet with OTA officials "to discuss ways we can work together to avoid future misunderstandings."

The trucker smoking issue was rekindled last week when a Windsor driver was pulled over by an overzealous OPP officer and fined $305 under the Ontario Smoke Free Act, which prohibits people from smoking or holding tobacco in any enclosed public place or enclosed workplace, including a tractor cab.

The news made headlines all over the world and raised confusion here in Ontario over whether certain trucks can still smoke ion trucks.

As Today’s Trucking has reported several times, the smoking ban only applies to company truckers of intraprovincial carriers. Federally regulated carriers are governed by Ottawa’s Non-smokers Health Act, which allows employers to designate ‘smoking areas’ in workplaces.

In practical terms, this means that federally regulated carriers can have designated "smoking trucks" so long as non-smoking drivers are not required to drive in those cabs as well.

Owner-operators are also exempt if they are the only person using the truck at all times.

According to the OTA, Ontario’s Health Promotion Ministry acknowledged much of this when the law took effect in 2006.

But, apparently, more communication with enforcement agencies and the public is still needed.