B.C. adding sensors to Interior highway to monitor commercial vehicle compliance

The B.C. government is turning to technology to improve compliance with commercial vehicle regulations on an Interior highway.

The B.C. government is turning to technology to improve compliance with commercial vehicle regulations on an Interior highway.

This spring, the province plans to begin installing "weigh-in-motion and automatic vehicle-identification systems" on Highway 5A north of Merritt.

"The sensors will measure real-time safety and vehicle data, such as weight, height and tire conditions, and compare the data against enforced standards," the provincial Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure said in a news release Friday.

"Commercial vehicle data will be relayed directly to mobile Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement officers in the area, enabling more efficient intervention and enforcement of safety standards."

The province hopes this will improve safety for local residents and drivers on Highway 5A, which it describes as an important alternative to the Coquihalla Highway for the trucking industry.

Construction on the system is expected to be completed in the fall, the ministry said, adding that it will be "the first exclusively virtual system in the province."