Heavy Vehicles

Definition of “Heavy Vehicle”

Amendments to the definition of a “heavy vehicle” in the Act respecting owners, operators and drivers of heavy vehicles came into effect on January 1, 2011. As of that date, any road vehicle or combination of road vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 4,500 kg or more is considered a heavy vehicle.

The GVWR indicates the vehicle weight, including its maximum load capacity, according to the manufacturer's specifications.

GVWR = net mass + maximum load capacity

All heavy vehicle users must be informed about and obey the rules and requirements that regulate their activities, in particular:

• driving and off-duty time for heavy vehicle drivers;
• pre-trip vehicle inspection;
• preventive vehicle maintenance;
• mandatory mechanical inspection;
• road signs and traffic signals for trucks;
• load-securing standards.

The SAAQ keeps a record for all heavy vehicle owners and operators in order to monitor and review their conduct. The SAAQ enters every event (offences, road accidents, etc.) that involve a heavy vehicle registered in Québec.

As of January 1, 2011, new heavy vehicle users must comply with these rules and requirements in order to have a good record. Current users may also be affected when the new definition of a heavy vehicle comes into effect.

For more details on records and ongoing conduct review of heavy vehicle users, consult the information bulletins below:

• Information bulletin for new heavy vehicle owners and operators
• Information bulletin for heavy vehicle owners and operators

.

Top of SectionTop of Page