Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety

Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Safety

In Canada, commercial motor vehicle safety is a shared responsibility among all levels of government and industry.

Provinces / Territories: Responsible for the enforcement of safety on roads and highways, including driver and vehicle licensing, setting requirements for driver training, as well as rules of the road (e.g., speed limits).

Transport Canada: Responsible for extra-provincial motor carriers transporting goods or passengers across a provincial/territorial or international boundary.

Establishes the Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards which outline the safety requirements of vehicles sold in Canada.

Industry Associations: Represent the interests of CMV operators and drivers and work alongside government to inform policy, regulatory, and legislative issues on behalf of their stakeholders.

CCMTA: Provides collaborative leadership in the areas of road safety research and policy, drivers and vehicles, and compliance and regulatory affairs, with a view to ensuring the safe and efficient movement of people and goods in Canada.

Custodian of the National Safety Code which sets out a number of operational safety standards for CMVs.

With the deregulation of transportation in the late 1980’s there was a need for cross Canada harmonization and reciprocity in the management of commercial vehicles. In 1987, the federal, provincial, and territorial Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety signed a memorandum of understanding to develop and implement a National Safety Code to encourage road safety, promote efficiency in the motor carrier industry, and achieve consistent safety standards across Canada.

The NSC provides guidance for legislative, regulatory, and administrative action by each jurisdiction and focuses on three components: the driver, the vehicle, and the carrier. It has a specific focus on those responsible for the operation of commercial vehicles on the road, including trucks, buses, tractors and trailers. All provinces and territories use the NSC as the cornerstone of their commercial vehicle regulatory framework, with standards either adopted by reference into jurisdictional regulation or mirrored in provincial and territorial laws.

Provincial and territorial regulations govern the operation of the commercial bus and truck industry except for the rules and regulations Transport Canada sets in support of the safe operation of federally-regulated (extra-provincial) motor carriers and commercial vehicle drivers. The federal government only has authority over extra-provincial truck and bus carriers that carry goods or passengers across a provincial or international boundary.

Matters relating to the vehicle weights and dimensions also falls within the provincial / territorial domain and the enforcement of those laws are within the purview of provincial / territorial law enforcement authorities. There is a Task Force on Vehicle Weights and Dimension mandated to improve uniformity in regulations governing the weights and dimensions of commercial vehicles operating between provinces and territories.

Technical Standard for Electronic Logging Devices

Technical Standard Version 1.3.1 is now available.

We are pleased to inform you that the Technical Standard for Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) has been updated. ELD version 1.3.1 dated July 22, 2026, replaces the previous posted version 1.3 (dated September 29, 2025).

Version 1.3.1 of the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Technical Standard is now available!

Transport Canada will lead the implementation and coming into force of the revised standard, acknowledging that ELD providers and certification bodies will require a transitional period before full adoption.

To download the Transport Canada Canadian Electronic Logging Device Testing Procedures please consult this link: Test procedures for electronic logging device.

CCMTA is providing access to, and views and information in respect of, the Technical Standard for ELDs, the Geo-location database, and the Summary of Amendments (the “standard”) on the following basis:

Use of and interpretation of the standard is at your own risk. Under no circumstances will CCMTA be liable to you or any other person for any loss or damage arising from, connected with, or relating to the use or interpretation of the standard by you or any other person.
You understand that the standard may change from time-to-time and that you are solely responsible for ensuring you use a current and complete version of the standard. Although reasonable efforts are made by CCMTA to update it on a timely basis on ccmta.ca, the standard available may not be complete and current at any time.
Any views on, or information provided in respect of, the standard by CCMTA to you are for convenience and informational purposes only.
You should obtain other appropriate and qualified advice from persons other than CCMTA before taking, or refraining from, any action or inaction on the basis of this standard, including in respect of any views or information provided by CCMTA in respect of it.
Any views on, or information provided in respect of, the standard by CCMTA are made only in respect of the most recent publicly-available standard, currently dated July 22, 2026, as posted on ccmta.ca.
All information from CCMTA is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis, without any representations, warranties, or implied.

Please contact info@ccmta.ca for any questions related to the Standard and supporting documents.