THE United Truckers Association (UTA) said on Tuesday that a recent tribunal decision by the BC Container Trucking Commissioner is setting the stage to flood Metro Vancouver’s regulated drayage sector with trucks currently operating outside of the law.

In spite of the fact that 53-foot rail containers are not covered by the BC Container Trucking Act (and currently moved by unlicensed trucks), the Commissioner has now ruled that they will be enforced by his office. Announced just before the opening of the new licensing application process, which will extend until 2026, this is the precursor to welcome dozens and possibly hundreds of these illegal operators into the legitimate marketplace\, the UTA alleged.

UTA spokesperson Gagan Singh said that this was a concerning development that could lead to hundreds of currently container truck owner operators becoming unable to earn an adequate living.

“The United Truckers Association is very concerned for our members, who now face the prospect of unlicensed operators who only moved rail containers now serving as competition in moving marine containers,” said Singh. “We already are facing an epidemic of these illegal trucks operating without consequences, and if the commissioner welcomes them into the regulated system, it will cause [unrest] not seen since the 2014 Port of Vancouver strike.”

Much of the UTA’s advocacy over the past decade has been the fight to eliminate untagged, illegal operators from picking up marine containers, which is work that is lawfully the right of licensed employee and owner operator trucks. In spite of photographic and video evidence presented for many years, the Office of the BC Container Trucking Commissioner has done little to curb these destabilizing activities, the UTA claimed.

Instead of fixing the glaring loopholes in the legislation, the commissioner is determined to further muddy an already complicated regulatory environment. As an example, whereas illegal taxis are able to be monitored and/or fined by police, the BC Container Trucking Act currently exempts unlicensed container trucking operators from similar enforcement, the UTA noted.

But the decision to now provide oversight over containers not covered by the Act is the clearest indication that the commissioner will flood the market with these illegal operators, and in the process, dilute the amount of work available for hundreds of small business owner operators, the UTA alleged.

“The UTA is looking at legal options in advance of licenses and truck tags being decided upon in advance of the new licensing period set to commence in the fall,” the UTA said.

“UTA members have suffered for years with scab labour, and we will not stand silent while these illegal operators are rewarded for their years of disregard for the laws of British Columbia,” asserted Singh.