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Alberta Carrier Excellent Safety (ACES) Program

Recognizing commercial carriers with superior safety performance.

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Existing carriers

Overview

The Alberta Carrier Excellent Safety Program, ACES, replaces the Partners in Compliance Program (PIC) and is administered by the Government of Alberta. ACES provides benefits to carriers who have demonstrated superior safety practices and on-road performance.

ACES launched on April 1, 2025, and is available to Alberta carriers who qualify. Transportation and Economic Corridors administers the ACES program. It is free to join and does not have application or membership fees.

How ACES members benefit

Participation in ACES is free (for example, no application or membership fees).

ACES members enjoy the following benefits:

  • “Excellent” safety fitness rating
  • recognition through Government of Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors website and newsletters
  • certificates to display on websites
  • highest bypass rate for all Alberta Vehicle Inspection Stations
    • To fully bypass a weigh scale, carriers must subscribe with DriveWyze. This subscription enables real-time bypass capabilities based on safety and compliance data.
  • waived government fee on Commercial Driver Abstracts
  • waived Vehicle Shop Licence fee
  • waived Safety Fitness Certificate renewal fee
  • waived fees on select permits:
    • Oilwell Service Vehicle Cycle Exemption
    • CAOEC Oil and Gas Well Service Rig
    • Water Well Drilling Rig Exemption
    • Municipal Firefighting Vehicle Exemption Permit.

See the current list of ACES members.

Note that carriers remain responsible for costs incurred for mandatory third-party National Safety Code (NSC) facility audits and any subscription costs incurred with DriveWyze.

Eligibility

Alberta-based commercial carriers who meet the Program Entrance Eligibility and the Safety Performance Measure Criteria are encouraged to apply for the program to receive the benefits and recognition for their superior safety performance.

Existing PIC members holding an “Excellent” rating on March 31, 2025 were automatically enrolled in the ACES program on April 1, 2025. These carriers are required to meet the ACES eligibility criteria to maintain program eligibility and their “Excellent” safety fitness rating.

To meet program entrance eligibility criteria, a carrier must:

  • be a licensed carrier in Alberta
  • hold a safety fitness certificate from the Government of Alberta
  • have commercial vehicles registered for the previous 12 consecutive months
  • meet the Safety Performance Measure Criteria

Safety Performance Measure Criteria

The Safety Performance Measure Criteria are based on the commercial carrier’s safety fitness rating, NSC facility audit results and the carrier’s compliance record. Listed below are the Safety Performance Measure Criteria.

  • The carrier must hold a Satisfactory safety fitness rating for the previous 3 consecutive years.
  • The carrier must have an NSC Facility audit completed within the previous 12 months of ACES application, which indicates an Overall Violation Rate of 10% or less and a Fatigue Violation Rate of 10% or less. An NSC Audit is to be conducted and submitted by a certified third-party auditor (TPA) upon each renewal term.
  • The carrier must maintain a compliance record for the previous 12 months that:
    • does not indicate significant out-of-service defects in Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance inspections
    • indicates a clean violation record
    • does not have any major safety events as identified in the Carrier Profile
    • is not the subject of an ongoing investigation or audit
    • is not on any stage of monitoring

Safety Fitness Certificates and ACES certificates are renewed every 3 years. When renewing the ACES certificate, the carrier will need to submit the results of an NSC facility audit conducted within the previous 12 months of the ACES renewal year and maintain the described safety performance measure criteria to retain their ACES eligibility.

  • Clean violation record

    A clean violation record means the carrier has no audits, investigations and/or administrative penalties issued where non-compliance was identified that would not support an “Excellent” safety fitness rating.

  • Major safety event

    A major safety event is any occurrence where the operation of, or mechanical state of a vehicle/trailer, leads to or may lead to a significant safety risk that could result in serious injury or fatality. Some examples are:

    • Immediate Roadside Sanctions (IRS)
    • infrastructure strikes/collisions
    • collisions that result in serious injury or fatality
    • operating or permitting a person to operate an unsafe commercial vehicle
    • a wheels-off incident

  • Retention of ACES membership

    For carriers to meet their ACES eligibility and "Excellent" safety rating, they must demonstrate ongoing compliance with all safety, administrative and performance requirements outlined by the program, as identified below:

    • continue to have commercial vehicles registered in Alberta
    • not be on any stage of monitoring
    • have a clean violation record
    • not have any major safety events identified on their Carrier Profile
    • not be the subject of an investigation where performance is deemed unacceptable for an “Excellent” safety fitness rating
    • submit the results of an NSC facility audit completed within the previous 12 months at the time of ACES certificate renewal, showing an Overall Violation rate of 10% or less and a Fatigue Violation Rate of 10% or less, (i.e. if your ACES certificate expires October 31, 2028, your NSC audit must be performed between November 1, 2027 and October 31, 2028).
      • Note: ACES certificates are renewed every 3 years. If you intend to renew your ACES certificate, it will be your responsibility to complete and submit an NSC audit within 12 months of ACES certificate expiry date and maintain the described safety performance measure criteria to retain an “Excellent” rating and your ACES eligibility.

  • Review of carrier safety performance

    The Alberta government will conduct monthly performance reviews to ensure all ACES carriers are meeting the eligibility criteria to maintain their ACES membership and their “Excellent” safety fitness rating.

    Carriers are encouraged to implement their own internal performance monitoring systems to ensure on-going safety performance measures and ACES criteria are being met.

Failure to meet eligibility criteria

Carriers that do not comply with the ACES eligibility criteria will be notified by the government, removed from the program immediately and have their safety fitness rating downgraded to the appropriate level.

If a carrier is removed from the program, they may reapply to ACES once they meet the eligibility criteria again.

ACES application process

Carriers interested in becoming an ACES member are required to complete the ACES application form and submit to: [email protected].

Members of the PIC program holding an “Excellent” safety fitness rating on March 31, 2025, were automatically enrolled in ACES on April 1, 2025.

These carriers are required to meet the eligibility criteria to remain in the program and keep their “Excellent” rating.

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