BC cancels trucking licence for Chohan Freight Forwarding after overpass crashes

The BC government has cancelled the commercial trucking licence for Chohan Freight Forwarders after a series of overpass crashes.

The company’s fleet was already grounded in BC due to a suspension, and now the cancellation takes it a step further.

“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,” Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Rob Fleming said in a statement.

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Chohan was involved in six overpass crashes in two years, the most recent being a collision on Highway 99 in Delta. Court documents indicate the driver went ahead with the over-height load from a fabrication plant in Delta on the advice of a friend before Chohan’s dispatcher got back to him with an alternate route.

Chohan was in the process of petitioning the court to overturn its suspension, arguing it was unfair because the company had no way to challenge it. Court documents indicated the company was losing $1 million a week while its trucks were parked.

Now, the cancellation makes their inability to operate more formal. Fleming didn’t appear to have sympathy for the company’s operational challenges.

“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,” Fleming said.

He added the majority of commercial drivers in the province operate safely and responsibly.