Government of New Brunswick

National Safety Code

national-safety-code

The National Safety Code (NSC) of Canada provides the minimum performance standards for the safe operation of passenger and commercial vehicles, such as buses, trucks, tractors and trailers. The NSC includes guidance for legislative, regulatory, and administrative action by each jurisdiction and focuses on three components: the driver, the vehicle, and the carrier.

All provinces and territories use the NSC as the cornerstone of their commercial vehicle regulatory framework, with standards either adopted by reference into jurisdictional regulation or mirrored in provincial and territorial laws.

The NSC applies to

  • Buses – manufacturer’s seating capacity more than 10 persons including the driver and/or registered with a Gross Registered Mass of 4500 kg and over
  • Trucks, Power Units or vehicle combinations registered with a Gross Registered Mass of 4500 kg and over

Services are provided through safety ratings performed by NSC facility auditors. They check records of drivers and carrier profiles for accuracy. They also review reports including trip inspections, record of Duty Status or RODS (i.e., Electronic Logging Device or ELDs, and/or carrier timesheets), and vehicle maintenance records to ensure federal and provincial rules and regulations are followed. This helps reduce collisions and increase safety on our highways.

What is a carrier?

A carrier is a person or company with one or more commercial vehicles registered.

An intra-provincial carrier is as a person or company with one or more commercial vehicles registered and that operates entirely within the province of New Brunswick.

An extra-provincial carrier is a person or company with one or more commercial vehicles registered that cross the provincial borders during the normal operation of their business.

Carrier’s Responsibilities

A carrier must maintain records of each driver who operates vehicles on their behalf, also known as a driver profile.

The driver profile should include the following:

  • a current driver’s abstract from Service New Brunswick
  • licensing qualifications of the person who operates commercial vehicles on its behalf
  • the hours of service worked by each driver and supporting documents
  • convictions for traffic offences or criminal driving offences incurred by such drivers
  • traffic accident records
  • training records

The retention period for each document is outlined in the following table.

Driver’s Profile Document

Retention Period

Copy of each driver’s licence (full and part-time)

Permanently and upon renewal

Driver’s abstract

Annually

Logbooks/Electronic Logging Device or Records of Duty Status (timesheets)

Six months

Supporting documents such as fuel receipts, trip sheets, bills of lading, tolls receipts or statements, accommodation or any other receipts issued for a particular trip

As required

Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Certificate

Permanently and upon renewal

Employment application

Permanently

Disciplinary incidents

Permanently

Carriers must also keep a vehicle profile that includes such documents as vehicle registration, maintenance records, insurance documents, provincial motor vehicle inspection certificate and CVSA inspection reports, and trip inspection reports. The retention period for each document is outlined in the following table.

Vehicle Profile

Retention Period

Copy of vehicle registration

Upon renewal

Copy of annual provincial motor vehicle inspection

Upon renewal

Vehicle maintenance record (regular and scheduled)

Two years

CVSA Inspections Reports and all reports issued by a Peace Officer

Two years

Trip inspections reports

Six months (two years if defects where noted)

Insurance company name and personal liability and property damage

Active status

In the event of an accident involving a carrier’s commercial vehicle, the carrier must maintain a written record of the accident, which should include the name of the driver, information identifying the commercial vehicle involved, the date and circumstances of the accident, and the nature and amount of damage.

Commercial Vehicle Driver’s Responsibilities

A driver has an essential role in ensuring compliance with the National Safety Code. Trip inspection reports must be completed before any commercial vehicle is used on the road over a 24-hour period. A driver must supply to the carrier copies of any convictions, accidents, and on-road or terminal inspections involving a carrier’s vehicle at least once every 14 days.

What is an NSC facility audit?

An NSC facility audit monitors carriers for compliance with all applicable highway safety regulations, including but not limited to those covered by the NSC. A NSC facility auditor closely examines certain records that are required to be maintained by bus and truck carriers; interviews personnel who are responsible for safety management; conducts on- and off-highway Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) inspections on commercial vehicles; and records the audit findings. This is performed to ensure that carriers are complying with all rules and standards and have the necessary safety programs in place.

An audit can be triggered by a poor safety rating, an accident, and out-of-service inspection or a conviction.

How to obtain a carrier abstract or carrier safety rating certificate

To order an NSC Carrier Abstract, contact the Motor Vehicle Branch at [email protected] or (506) 453-2410.

To reach an NSC facility auditor or to obtain an NSC Carrier Safety Rating letter or certificate, call Inspections and Enforcement New Brunswick at 1-877-449-2244.