THE British Columbia Trucking Association (BCTA) and its motor coach members say they are looking forward to participating in the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure’s motor coach industry safety review.

“Public confidence in the safe operation of motor coaches is critical to the motor coach industry.  We believe this review will enhance public confidence by ensuring that the regulatory requirements are complete, industry knowledge about and compliance with regulations is high, and enforcement is effective,” said Louise Yako, BCTA President and CEO on Tuesday. BCTA represents much of the coach industry in British Columbia.

Based on ICBC data, since 2007, the collision rate for all buses in BC steadily decreased from 23 collisions per 100 licensed buses in 2007 to 18 collisions per 100 licensed buses in 2013.  This represents a reduction of approximately 22 percent.  During that same time period, the collision rate for public, airport and charter buses – the subject of the Ministry safety review –  decreased by an even higher rate of 29 percent.

BCTA offers information to tour companies, school groups, and others who charter motor coaches about identifying safe motor coach companies, understanding the regulations that govern motor coach driver hours of work and how to plan trips to comply with drivers’ regulated hours of work.  The information flyers are available on BCTA’s website: http://www.bctrucking.com/services/chartering-motor-coach

BCTA, a member-based, non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organization, is the recognised voice of the provincial motor carrier industry, representing over 1,000 truck and motor coach fleets and over 250 suppliers to the industry. BCTA members operate over 13,000 vehicles, employ 26,000 people, and generate over $2 billion in revenue annually in the province.