‘We’re not ready’: Mechanics say Ontario’s new vehicle inspection program has problems

Ontario’s plan to implement a new digital inspection process for heavy-duty diesel vehicles next month has hit a roadblock. Several mechanics, tasked with ensuring large trucks, buses and RVs are safe to drive on Ontario roads, say they still lack the framework to perform the new inspections.

“A lot of people are concerned. They’re asking what is happening,” said Steve Shipton, who owns Shipton’s Mechanical Repair in Pickering.

Back in 2022, the Ministry of Transportation announced plans to implement a digital inspection program called DriveON. According to the MTO, it will combine the heavy-duty diesel vehicle emissions testing program and the Motor Vehicle Inspection Stations (MVIS) program into one digital inspection program.

Under the law, any commercial vehicle in Ontario weighing over 4,500 kg is required to have a Commercial Vehicle Operators Registration (CVOR) which requires an annual inspection. If the vehicle passes, the driver or company is issued a Safety Standards Inspection Sticker on the windshield.

“Basically, the safety standards are the same,” Shipton said. “But instead of writing down and documenting everything on our own and issuing those stickers, we’re going to do it all electronically through a government-issued iPad or tablet.”

The MTO had previously said all shops must be online and ready by August 1. They opened the enrollment process back in May when Shipton registered and paid associated fees to obtain the framework to perform the new inspections.

“But we haven’t heard anything. We don’t have the iPad and there’s no word on if we’ll get time to train staff on how to use the new program,” he said. “We’re not ready to meet this deadline and can’t until we get these iPads.”

The MTO signed a multi-year contract, with Parsons Inc. to administer the new DriveON program, including supplying all necessary inspection-related materials and equipment, providing administrative oversight and certain enforcement activities.

Shipton, who has reached out to both The MTO and Parsons Inc., couldn’t get any answers.

“Nobody seems to know what’s going on with getting this new system online.”

He then reached out to Speakers Corner. Shortly after we contacted the MTO, Shipton, and all other inspection shops in Ontario, received an email.

“To accommodate your transition to DriveON, MVIS facilities are permitted to continue conducting annual and semi-annual inspections under the MVIS program until August 31, 2024,” said Jennifer Elliott, MTO’s Director of Commercial Safety and Compliance. “This is only permitted for MVIS facilities that have applied to the DriveON program before August 1, 2024, and have not received their DriveON equipment.”

Shipton said this buys shops like his more time, enabling him to perform inspections under the current system but only if they have enough yellow stickers on hand.

“They’re not giving out more yellow stickers. Luckily, we have 150 left so we should be good,” he told us by phone after receiving news of the deadline extension. “There are some shops that are out of stickers, so they’re trying to figure out what to do.”

Speakers Corner reached out multiple time to Parsons Inc. to get an update on when the DriveON iPads will be delivered but have not heard back.

NEW SYSTEM IS NEEDED MECHANICS SAY

While frustrated about the delay in getting the framework needed, Shipton welcomes the changes and believes the DriveON program is a good one.

“It will streamline the process and weed out the bad guys,” he said, speaking about the existing inspection process, which allows mechanics to issue yellow stickers without much oversight.

“This will cut down on fraudulent shops that just issue these stickers without performing proper inspection protocol.”

When fully launched, the information entered into the iPad will be stored and accessible to Transportation Enforcement Officers to ensure vehicles have been properly inspected.

“The stickers will have a QR code officers can scan,” Shipton said. “So everything is streamlined to ensure those vehicles are safe to be on the roadway. It’s a great system, it just has to be implemented properly.”

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