2 Operating Statuses an Alberta Carrier Needs To Know

In Alberta, there are a number of differences between operating under a Provincial Operating Status or under a Federal Operating Status.

Today I am going to discuss some of these differences with you so that you can ensure that you are running your fleet correctly.

Federal Carriers

As a Federal carrier, any of your units with a registered weight over 4500KG's (4501KG's and above) are considered to be National Safety Code Units. In addition, any vehicle with a seating capacity of 11 people or more - including the driver - is also a National Safety Code Vehicle.

This Status allows you to run across Provincial and Federal borders.

There are other factors involved - such as the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) and Prorate - but that is an entirely different conversation.

Provincial Carriers (Alberta)

As a Provincial Carrier, any of your units with a registered weight over 11793KG's (11794KG's and above) are considered to be National Safety Code Units. In addition, any vehicle with a seating capacity of 11 people or more - including the driver - is also a National Safety Code Vehicle.

Under this operating status, you may only travel within the borders of Alberta.

The only exception is Highway 17. This highway winds back and forth between Alberta and Saskatchewan up to Lloydminster. As a Provincial Carrier you may only obtain services from the Alberta side.

Knowing which Operating Status you are and the rules that apply to you is key to ensuring National Safety Code compliance. That might sound obvious, but it is quite common to run into drivers - and even Carriers - who don't know which set of rules they are required to follow.