BC Ferries
After about 10 years of lobbying, BC Ferries finally agreed to implement a year-round blended rate effective March 15, 2001 after accepting that commercial vehicle traffic is not influenced by variable seasonal or daily rates.
One of BCTA's continue challenges is to encourage the development of a fairer BC Ferries tariff system that does not include cross-subsidization among routes and/or among customer types. Specifically, a 2002 government-sponsored study on BC Ferries concluded that only the three major routes between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland are financially self-sustaining. This means that other, less popular routes are being subsidized by passengers on the main routes. Similarly, large recreational vehicles are charged far lower rates than large commercial vehicles even though they take up the same deck space.
Tridem Drives
ICBC continued to test and approve new tridem configurations in 2001. BCTA was instrumental in developing a streamlined review process so that new configurations can be quickly and easily evaluated.
National Highway System
CTA, BCTA, and other provincial trucking associations, raised the awareness of the federal Liberal party to the need for developing a national highway policy, including a funding mechanism so that Canada can remain competitive with the U.S. Since the 1950s, Canada has had no investment strategy for the Trans-Canada highway system despite the fact that highways have clearly become the new "rivers of trade".
Forty percent of the Canadian national highway system is below standard and a minimum of $17 billion is needed to address this problem. On an annual basis, Canadian governments collect $8 billion more in fuel tax than they put back into infrastructure. Whereas 30 years ago, 20 cents of every dollar collected went to highways, today only 3 cents is invested.
Who Should Pay?
The issue of who should pay for the maintenance and upgrading of the road/highway network is on the minds of all levels of government during this period of fiscal constraint and new cost-sharing arrangements. Some have argued that trucks do not pay their fair share and/or that governments should employ full "cost accounting" methodologies for establishing user fees.
One way that the Canadian provinces have encouraged productivity in the movement of goods over the road is by allowing gross truck weights that are, in general, more liberal than many U.S. states. However, because Canadian weights tend to be spread over more axles, axle weights of Canadian vehicles are about the same as in the United States. There is no doubt that trucks, by virtue of their heavier axles, have a greater impact on the infrastructure than cars. However, there is also no doubt that the major cause of road damage in Canada can be attributed to two factors. The first is Canada's more pronounced freeze thaw periods. The second is the neglect by all levels of government of road maintenance and upkeep in recent decades.
Consider these facts:
- In 1965, the Canadian provinces spent 20 cents on roads for every dollar spent.
- By 1993, the amount spent on roads declined to 3 cents of every dollar.
- Canada is the only major industrial state without a national highway policy.
This issue is going to be especially critical in BC as we grapple with reduced revenues and increased infrastructure needs. BCTA is working with the provincial government to develop a highway infrastructure development and maintenance plan that is financially viable and sustainable and that does not require road users to pay more than their fair share.