MTO constructed a new style of Commercial Vehicle Inspection Facility (CVIF) in Windsor this past summer. Most truck inspection stations were designed in the past to efficiently weigh trucks. However, changes in enforcement practices required an inspection facility that is flexible and enables efficient mechanical and driver inspections in addition to weight enforcement. The new concept was based on a recent Value Engineering (VE) study examining the site layout and a subsequent study to develop architectural guidelines for building accommodations which were further refined in a recently published CVIF design guidelines. The new CVIF design uses modular components that ensure immediate business needs are addressed with the flexibility to accommodate cost effective expansion in the future as business demands and traffic volumes change.
MTO introduced several technological advances designed to assist inspection processes and enhance employee and industry safety. Enhancements for the CVIF include a queue management system designed to meter trucks into the facility based on capacity, as well as primary and secondary inspection areas. The primary and secondary inspection areas are designed to put the enforcement officer in direct contact with both the truck and driver for the purpose of performing a triage or primary inspection. This approach minimizes delays and provides focus on higher risk carriers who are selected for a more detailed examination in the secondary inspection area. The primary inspection area is also equipped with technology that enables the enforcement officer to access Driver and Vehicle record information, in addition to weigh-in-motion data. The enhancements feature specialized lighting and surface treatments that improve the level of illumination under and around the truck being inspected.
The second CVIF facility is currently being constructed on Highway 402 near the Sarnia/Port Huron International Border Crossing. In addition to the many enhancements introduced at the Windsor facility, the newly constructed Sarnia facility will offer a specialized inspection bay equipped to inspect low profile vehicles. This bay will offer a depression in the paved surface equipped with track lighting for night inspection. The depression will be deep enough for staff to safely manoeuvre under the vehicle to inspect critical components such as brakes and suspension.
The collaboration of subject matter experts throughout this Value Engineering exercise has enabled Ontario to design a cost effective facility for the future. The CVIF is now a facility that meets the needs of the industry, and the regulators that oversee their performance.
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