TORONTO, ON – The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) released a five-point action plan for improving truck safety this morning.

The plan aims to work with law enforcement officials to assure the public that safety on the roads is the top priority of fleets owners, drivers, and other members of the industry, after a recent string of crashes involving commercial motor vehicles on Ontario highways had Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Commissioner Vince Hawkes calling trucks “missiles.”

The action plan details efforts the OTA board will be taking on road safety in the five areas of enforcement, enhanced vehicle standards, infrastructure improvement, training, and education on industry best practices.

In the paper the OTA board says it believes the key to improving truck safety is mitigating the human factors contributing to collisions.

“Successfully executing this plan will involve the cooperation and commitment of multiple government as well as private sector stakeholders involved in road safety,” said OTA Chair Steve Ondejko.

The OTA, OPP, and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation have formed a committee to review road safety issues in the industry. The committee is scheduled to meet for the first time later in November.

OTA President Stephen Laskowski says the trucking industry is proud of its safety record, but recognizes that having a workplace that is also a public roadway means they have to pursue opportunities for improvements in safety.

“Our action plan does just that. But implementing it successfully will involve input and buy-in from road safety stakeholders and supply chain partners, including government, the enforcement community, educators, human behavioral scientists, equipment manufacturers and the buyers of transportation services,” he said.