The government of British Columbia made the decision to revoke the operating license of a transportation company due to its involvement in six overpass crashes over a period of three years. Minister of Transportation Rob Fleming stated that this action reflects the severity of the infractions and sends a clear message that infrastructure crashes need to be eliminated. The suspension of Chohan Freight Forwarders Ltd.’s operations came following a December incident on Highway 99, marking the sixth time the company was linked to overpass strikes. In response to this ongoing problem, the province introduced stiffer penalties in December for trucks involved in such accidents.
The cancellation of the company’s license was enacted by the independent director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement branch, as a result of legislative amendments supporting more progressive enforcement. Chohan Freight Forwarders initiated legal action against the province, seeking to overturn the decision. The company’s director of safety and compliance expressed strong disagreement with the cancellation, pledging to fight for the rights of the company’s drivers and their families. The company attributed the incident to an independent contractor rather than a systemic failure within the company.
Chohan Freight Forwarders, a family-owned business with 63 drivers and affiliated owner-operators, has claimed that the suspension has led to significant financial losses, estimated at $1 million per week. B.C. Premier David Eby criticized the company on Feb. 7 for disputing its suspension, stating that the number of overpass strikes in the province has been astonishing and frustrating. The government’s decision to cancel the license has been met with legal action on the part of the company, and at the time of the report, The Epoch Times did not receive a response from Chohan Freight Forwarders.