A trucking company in British Columbia, International Machine Transport Inc., has been ordered to halt all their operations after one of their trucks, hauling a shrink-wrapped helicopter, collided with a highway sign. The incident took place on Highway 1 in Burnaby, impacting the Gilmore overpass.
The details: The truck was permitted for oversized load transport, but the actual height of the helicopter exceeded the permitted size. This resulted in minor damage to an overhead sign with no reported injuries or significant harm to the bridge itself.
The action taken: In response to the accident, the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure suspended the trucking company's entire 20-truck fleet pending a full investigation.
- The recent event is part of a series of similar incidents involving oversized loads in the region. The province has seen increased enforcement and penalties, including a fine hike from $115 to $575 for such violations.
The B.C. Ministry of Transportation confirms the Gilmore overpass in Burnaby was hit by a helicopter being transported on a truck Monday afternoon. https://t.co/5xeyLUxSLI
— CityNews Vancouver (@CityNewsVAN) January 17, 2024
Regional context: This is not an isolated case; there have been other infrastructure strikes in B.C. that led to fleet suspensions, including 20 trucks from TSD Holdings Ltd. and 65 from Chohan Freight Forwarders Ltd. due to past incidents.