Thursday, April 7, 2011

Truck drivers and overtime

Long haul truck drivers are permitted to drive up to 60 hours in seven days. If they exceed this they are entitled to overtime. Most industrial workers are entitled to overtime at far less hours.

Under the Canada Labour Code, Division 1, Hours of Work provisions are modified by the Motor Vehicle Operators Hours of Work Regulation. Through this regulation "Highway Motor Vehicle Operators" are permitted to drive up to 60 hours in seven days. If they drive beyond these hours drivers are eligible for overtime pay.

The result of the special treatment for truckers is longer hours and less rest. The dangers for the travelling public -- and the unfairness to drivers -- are obvious.

A change to the Canada Labour Code seems appropriate.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

what about the doctors that work 36 hour shifts, would you want to see a doctor that is on the job for 30+ hours

James C Morton said...

Agreed -- that is another issue but overtired emerg doctors especially can make mistakes -- we all make mistakes when we are overtired!!!

John Prince said...

James I have a class 1 license and have worked in the oil patch here in Alberta. I can attest to the fact many, many drivers are pushed to the point of complete and total exhaustion, but are still on the road. This applies to drivers in other sectors as well beside the oil patch. If the public knew, I mean really knew, what was heading towards them at all hours of the day and night there would and should be regulations to prevent this sort of thing from being an on-going event of death and carnage on our highways.

And yes, I agree with a shorter work week for o/t is long overdue and has been totally unfair and discrimatory all along.

Anonymous said...

I'm trying to find out if under federal law in canada, as a truck driver, if you were entitled to overtime after any amount of hours worked? My comany says they classify us employees as "part time hwy drivers" but we stay in the city, and no hwy hours. And they say cause they operate under federal law cause some truck drivers here do go to the united states, that the city drivers do not qualify for overtime?

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