Operation Corridor to Target Commercial Vehicles

ORILLIA, ON, June 11, 2012 /CNW/ - The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), in partnership with the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) and Ministry of the Environment (MOE) are set to launch Operation Corridor, an important annual highway safety initiative targeting aggressive commercial vehicle drivers and those which are unsafe on Ontario's busiest highways.

Operation Corridor begins Thursday, June 14, 2012 at 6:00 a.m. and ends Friday, June 15 at 6:00 a.m.  During this 24-hour period, OPP officers will focus on commercial vehicle speed and other aggressive driving behaviours.  MTO and MOE inspectors will conduct truck inspections, looking closely for signs of poor maintenance, environmental violations and mechanical problems.

QUOTES

"Commercial vehicles have the potential to cause significant damage when involved in collisions, endangering the lives of the many people who travel Ontario's highways.  What makes Operation Corridor highly effective is that those commercial vehicles that are identified as being aggressive or unsafe are subject to immediate intervention and maybe taken out of service until remedial action is taken". - Deputy Commissioner Larry Beechey, Provincial Commander, OPP Traffic Safety & Operational Support.

"Operation Corridor is an excellent opportunity to educate commercial vehicle drivers about the importance of safe driving habits. When you consider the high volume of large, load-bearing commercial trucks on our highways each hour of each day, it is imperative that those who drive them are 100 per cent compliant with the rules of the road because it will ultimately save lives".  - Chief Superintendent Don Bell, Divisional Commander, OPP Highway Safety Division.

"Ontario highways are among the safest in North America. Even though commercial truck traffic has increased, there has been a decrease in fatal collisions involving large trucks over the past two decades. Safety initiatives like Operation Corridor help keep aggressive and unsafe commercial vehicles off our roads, making them safer for everyone." - Commissioner Chris Lewis\

Contacts by OPP Region:

Highway Safety Division: Sergeant Dave Woodford Phone: [phone]
Central Region:   Sergeant Peter Leon  Phone: [phone]
East Region:   Sergeant Kristine Rae  Phone: [phone]
Northeast Region:   Inspector Mark Andrews  Phone: [phone]
Northwest Region:   Sergeant Shelley Garr  Phone: [phone]
West Region:   Sergeant Dave Rektor  Phone: [phone]