Carriers, are you allowed to keep the safety patrol reports of your vehicles in digital format?

The answer is yes, but ...

Le Règlement sur les normes de sécurité des véhicules routiers (the "Regulations") states that the owner AND the operator must keep, for each heavy vehicle, a file containing, in particular, a copy of the documents relating to the safety patrol and the specific check applicable to a bus (section 202.1).

These documents must be kept for a period of at least 6 months from the date of the completion of the safety check report or the bus-specific check (section 202.2).

Thus, the Regulations do not define what kind of copy it is, it may be a "paper original" or a "scanned copy".

However, during business hours, the operator shall, at the request of a peace officer, immediately make available for inspection at the place indicated by the officer the daily logs, the supporting documents and documents prescribed by regulation, including all documents relating to the safety circle and the specific verification of coaches, as provided for in section 519.25 of the Highway Safety Code ("Code").

In the event of a power failure or computer failure that prevents the operator from immediately providing the peace officer with a copy of the security round documents, the Code states that any person who contravenes section 519.25 is guilty of an offense and is liable to a fine of $ 700 to $ 2,100.

Also, this offense can affect the file of the owner and operator of heavy vehicle at the rate of 3 points.

Finally, it should be noted that although a scanned copy of the safety round report is authorized by the regulations, we consider that this is not the case for the proof of repair of the defects that would be found on these reports. round. Indeed, the Regulation states that:

202.1. The owner must retain, for each heavy vehicle, a file containing the following information and documents:

[...]

And (7) the document certifying the repair of deficiencies found during the safety round, the bus-specific check or during an interview referred to in section 198.

The use of the term "document" suggests that a copy of the document may not be authorized or legally accepted by a peace officer.

In addition, it is important to remember that the period of retention of documents attesting to the repair of defects must for their part be retained by the owner for a period of at least 12 months. The legislator thus distinguishes them from documents relating to the security round.

If you have any additional questions, please contact the Legal Services Branch at legal@federationautobus.com or by phone at 418-476-8181, ext. 214.