Vehicle safety, compliance and oversight

Compliance visits

Compliance visits provide an opportunity for a Vehicle Safety Investigator to make contact with inspection facilities and technicians within the Investigator's geographic area.

During this visit Investigators will have an opportunity to ensure facilities and technicians are complying with:

• record keeping requirements
• equipment requirements
• facility requirements
• inspection requirements.

If there are any vehicles that have been recently inspected, the Investigator may view the vehicle to see if there are any apparent defects.

Investigators take the opportunity to discuss issues and answer any questions facility staff or technicians may have regarding the Vehicle Inspection Program.

Random compliance visits are conducted to ensure compliance within the Vehicle Inspection Program.

We may require an investigator to conduct a compliance visit during the course of an investigation to obtain evidence to support any proposed progressive disciplinary actions.

Progressive discipline

Progressive Intervention and Discipline Policy is used to address issues of non-compliance and to ensure we have an effective vehicle inspection program.

Progressive discipline will be administered against licensed inspection facilities and technicians who have been found to be in violation of the Vehicle Inspection Regulation, the Facility Operating Manual, and the vehicle inspection manual(s) identified in legislation.

These changes will result in a more collaborative and solution-based system during which the person subject to the sanction will obtain a clearer understanding of the areas of non-compliance.

The person will be involved in developing a solution through an action plan that will result in a better understanding of their responsibilities, improved compliance and, in all likelihood, fewer appeals of the registrar's decision

For more information, read the Progressive Discipline Policy fact sheet.

Payments

If you received an administrative penalty from Carrier and Vehicle Safety, you can contact the Carrier and Vehicle Safety Branch for payment. Details on the payment process and contact information are included in the Notice of the Administrative Penalty. Clients may also provide their payment at an Alberta Registry, with an additional fee for service.

• Payment by credit card: Contact the Carrier & Vehicle Safety Branch at 403-755-6111 (toll free in Alberta by first dialing 310-0000) to set-up a credit card payment by email or telephone payment services, in a manner that is compliant with Payment Card Industry (PCI) Compliance requirements.
• Payment by cheque: A copy of the notice must be submitted along with the remittance, payable to the Government of Alberta.
  • Carrier and Vehicle Safety Branch
    4th Floor, Provincial Building, 4920 51 Street
    Red Deer, Alberta  T4N 6K8

Should you experience financial challenges and are unable to submit the payment by the specified due date, you can contact the department to review your payment options and arrange more time for payment. For more information contact Carrier & Vehicle Safety at: 403-755-6111 or by email [email protected].

Reporting an unsafe vehicle

A vehicle inspection technician or facility does not have legal authority to remove an unsafe vehicle from the road. This responsibility lies solely with a Peace Officer under section 66 of the Traffic Safety Act.

As a certified technician you are obligated to advise a client that their vehicle is unsafe and to provide an explanation for this determination. Some inspection facilities choose to bring a tow truck to their facility and have the vehicle towed to the repair facility of the client's choice.

An additional option would be for you to contact the traffic detachment of your local law enforcement agency and describe your concerns with the vehicle.

If they have an officer available, they may be in a position to direct the vehicle owner to undertake the repairs before the vehicle can be returned to the road.

As an inspection facility owner or operator, you may wish to check with your lawyer or insurance underwriter to see if there are additional methods to reduce your liability in the event the vehicle is involved in a collision after driving away from your facility.

Contact

Connect with Carrier and Vehicle Safety:

Phone: 780-427-8901
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]

Address:
Manager, Vehicle Safety
Room 109
Main Floor, Twin Atria Building
4999 98 Avenue
Edmonton,  Alberta T6B 2X3