B.C. cancels company’s operating licence after 6 overpass strikes

The province says it’s prohibited a transportation company from operating in B.C. after it was involved in six overpass strikes in three years.

A statement sent a 6 a.m. PT from B.C.’s Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said, in the interest of safety, a formal cancellation notice was issued to Chohan Freight Forwarders Ltd. for its operations in B.C. on Thursday.

The province had previously suspended the carrier following an overpass strike on Highway 99 in late December. On a provincial list of the overpass strikes that have occurred since December 2021, Chohan is named six times out of 34 total strikes.

“This is the most severe action that can be taken against a company with multiple infractions — and it sends a clear message to operators that infrastructure crashes around our province need to stop,” said the release from Fleming.

“It has never been easier to follow a route to guide a load safely through our highway system and avoid the potential for impact with infrastructure.”

The province has struggled to come up with ways to reduce the amount of strikes which have damaged critical transportation infrastructure and also created unsafe road conditions.

In December the province announced tougher penalties related to the strikes. It added escalating penalties for companies and drivers with repeat offences, added longer suspensions and the possible loss of their operating certificate.

The statement from Fleming said the cancellation decision was issued by the independent director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement branch, and “follows changes that allow for progressive enforcement of suspensions to better deal with those few companies and drivers who are not being safe and responsible.”

Since Chohan’s operating licence was suspended in December, the company brought a civil suit against the province in a bid to have it overturned.

On Friday morning a company spokesperson said it would provide media with a statement over having its operating licence permanently cancelled.

According to its lawsuit, Chohan is a family-owned trucking company, with 63 drivers and affiliated owner-operators.

It said it was losing $1 million a week in revenues due to its suspension since December.

Another arm of the company also operates in Alberta.