Clean Sweep for Tall Trucks

New technology at Nova Scotia commercial vehicle inspection stations will help truckers remove snow from the top of their rigs and improve safety on our roads.

The Department of Transportation and Public Works has installed two overhead, rubber-bladed snow scrapers -- the first of their kind in the Maritimes -- to sweep the snow off trucks as they move beneath it.

"Snow scrapers add another level of safety to our highways by dealing with the problem of snow-covered trucks," said Transportation and Public Works Minister Angus MacIsaac. "The scrapers work quickly and ensure that chunks of snow don't create a hazard for other drivers."

Driving with excess snow on a vehicle is against the law in Nova Scotia. Snow on top of moving vehicles can be hazardous. Large chunks of snow can hit vehicles and cause a collision. Even after a storm has passed, flying snow from trucks can pose a danger to drivers. The snow packs can also fall on the road, melt, and later turn to ice.

"Snow-covered vehicles aren't allowed back on the road until the snow is cleared off," said Mr. MacIsaac. "These new scrapers will do the job quickly and safely."

The snow scrapers have been installed at the province's inspection stations at Amherst (Highway 104) and Kelly Lake (Highway 102).