More than a decade after Quebec last introduced heavy vehicle transportation standards, the province has updated its truck rating safety system to place more responsibility on truck drivers for driving-related infractions and increased transparency.

The revised PEVL/PECVL (Owner, Operator & Driver of Heavy Vehicles) truck safety rating, which takes effect February 15, 2023, more closely aligns with guidelines in Ontario and the U.S. The system introduces a new offense weighing scale, imposes new conduct review and prevention measures, and separates owners from operators in facility audits. The changes also take into account fleet size when assessing infraction points.

In addition, the ratings system will make obtaining information on infractions much easier. These changes will enable fleet carriers to intervene earlier and more easily demonstrate to insurers their training and safety protocols to secure better rates.

Transparency will aid change

Under the previous ratings system, obtaining a driving score card was challenging, requiring a fee and a wait of five to 10 days for a hard copy of the records. As a result, drivers may not have known they were in trouble until it was too late to make a change, and fleet companies were not always made aware of infractions.

The new system makes the information readily available to drivers and their employers on demand. Drivers can access a live abstract of their driving score card daily, weekly or monthly. This enables them to monitor violations and any loss in points before it leads to a formal consequence such as a license suspension.

Drivers can also share the information with their employers, who may offer training free of cost and other mitigation services to help their drivers improve their records and get back on the road more quickly.

Fleet carriers also benefit from the system since the changes now require drivers to take more responsibility for their actions, including driving infractions and vehicle safety and weight checks. However, fleets that fail to correct repeat behaviours will be more severely penalized under the PEVL/PECVL change.

But fleet carriers that use the increased transparency to monitor violations made in a company-plated vehicle and implement changes quickly will benefit at insurance renewals.

Best-in-class transport companies should take advantage of this rating change by:

  • Checking PEVL/PECVL reports at least monthly. Review all reports monthly or bimonthly to monitor drivers for violations or vehicle defects. Review data and develop a plan for how to manage infractions and reward drivers for good behaviours.
  • Pay attention to patterns. If one driver is caught repeatedly for the same violation — or multiple drivers are cited for the same violation — the penalty for fleets under the new ratings system is steep. If a company’s drivers reach the maximum point threshold for a certain category of infractions, the carrier will accumulate those points plus 20% — which could not only result in a failed facility audit but can also significantly impact the fleet’s insurability and premium prices at renewal. When patterns of behaviour emerge, take steps to eliminate the behaviours through driver retraining, repeat offender consequences and good driver rewards.
  • Focus on pre-trip checks. The revised regulations separate operational safety requirements into two distinct categories, with penalty points assessed for vehicle safety issues rising under the new system. This can include increased ratings penalties for both drivers and owners for mechanical defects and the failure to maintain and inspect the safety of vehicles. Require all drivers to inspect their rigs thoroughly before driving. Offer retraining on pre-trip inspections for drivers who receive an infraction related to a pre-trip inspection failure.
  • Manage the risk. While the market for transportation insurance remains tight, insurer appetite is increasing for fleets with good PEVL/PECVL ratings and a solid record of driver training and maintenance programs. Presenting insurers with exemplary driver and operator records and proof of driver retraining after infractions can help show insurers that the company takes preventive measures and is a good risk.

Contact HUB International’s transportation insurance experts to learn more about the PEVL/PECVL ratings changes and mitigating fleet risks.