Truckers in Ottawa are protesting against new regulations that they say are unfair and could put them out of business. The new rules, which come into effect in July, will require truckers to have a special permit to operate in the city.
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Introduction
Truckers in Ottawa are protesting against new regulations that they say are unfair and will put them out of business. The regulations, which come into effect on January 1, 2020, require all truckers to have a GPS system in their trucks that will track their location and speed. The truckers say that this is an invasion of privacy and that the cost of the GPS system is too high. They are also concerned about the accuracy of the system and whether it will be able to track their location accurately in all weather conditions.
The new Regulations
The new Regulations that the truckers are protesting against are as follows:
-All trucks must have a GPS tracking device installed by December 1st, 2019
-There will be a weight limit of 80,000 kg for all trucks
-All trucks must be equipped with an electronic logging device (ELD)
-All truck drivers must have a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL)
-All trucks must pass a safety inspection before being allowed on the road
The Protest
The Ottawa truckers protest against new regulations was a protest that began on February 6, 2020 in Ottawa, Canada. The protesters, who were truck drivers, were protesting against the Canadian government’s proposed changes to the hours of service regulations for truck drivers. The changes would have required drivers to take a break after eight hours of driving, and would have reduced the maximum number of hours that a driver could work in a week from 60 to 50. The protesters argued that the changes would make it difficult for them to earn a living, and would force many of them out of business.
The protest lasted for two weeks, and ended on February 20, when the Canadian government announced that it would not be proceeding with the proposed changes to the hours of service regulations.
The Aftermath
The day after the Ottawa truckers’ protest, many are wondering what will happen next. The new regulations – which include a minimum wage for long-haul truckers, increased safety measures, and better working conditions – are set to come into effect on January 1st, 2020. This means that the truckers who protested will have to comply with the new rules or find a new job.
For now, it seems that the Ottawa truckers’ protest was successful in raising awareness about the issues facing long-haul truckers. It is yet to be seen whether or not it will result in any changes being made to the new regulations.
