BC Bans Transportation Company From Operating After 6 Overpass Crashes in 3 Years

B.C. Minister of Transportation Rob Fleming views flooding and mudslide repair and clean up progress on the Coquihalla Highway northeast of Hope, B.C., on Dec. 10, 2021. The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck

B.C. announced it has cancelled a transportation company’s licence, banning it from operating in the province due to its involvement in six overpass crashes over three years.

“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 B.C. Minister of Transportation Rob Fleming in a statement Feb. 16.

“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 suspension of Chohan Freight Forwarders Ltd.’s operations came after a December incident on Highway 99, the sixth time the company was linked to overpass strikes since December 2021, out of a total of 34 recorded incidents.

In response to the ongoing problem, British Columbia introduced stiffer penalties in December for trucks involved in such accidents, including escalating fines for repeat offenders, extended suspensions, and the potential revocation of operating licenses, the CBC reported.

The cancellation of the company’s licence was enacted by the independent director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement branch, following legislative amendments that support more progressive enforcement. These changes aim to address the behaviour of a small number of companies and drivers who fail to adhere to safety and responsibility standards on the road.

Chohan Freight Forwarders has initiated legal action against the province, according to the CBC, seeking to overturn the decision. Nitasha Chohan, the company’s director of safety and compliance, expressed strong disagreement with the cancellation, pledging to fight for the rights of the company’s drivers and their families. The company attributed the Dec. 28, 2023, incident to an independent contractor rather than a systemic failure within the company.

Chohan Freight Forwarders, a family-owned business with 63 drivers and affiliated owner-operators, claims the suspension has resulted in significant financial losses, estimated at $1 million per week, reports the CBC.

B.C. Premier David Eby took a swipe at the company on Feb. 7 for disputing its suspension.

“Columbians, especially in the Lower Mainland, have been astonished and frustrated by the number of overpass strikes ... where a truck hits a bridge or an overpass on a highway,” he said.

“My only hope is that on the way to court, they don’t run into a bridge. I encourage them to take the bus or some other form of public transit.”

The Epoch Times contacted Chohan Freight Forwarders for comment but did not hear back before press time.