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New Brunswick-based passenger vehicles
Carriers operating passenger-carrying public motor buses for compensation are required to obtain operating authority licence from the New Brunswick Energy & Utilities Board. The Board may grant an operating authority licence to operate public motor buses over specified routes or in respect of specified points or geographic areas or generally throughout New Brunswick, either as a regular service or an irregular service.
Carriers should contact the New Brunswick Energy & Utilities Board at www.nbeub.ca/index.php/en/motor-carrier for more details on obtaining operating authority.
Once operating authority is granted, a copy of the operating authority licence must be carried in the public motor bus during operation. The licence must be renewed by May 15 of each year by filing an application and paying the fees.
An operating authority licence is not required for a motor vehicle:
- While carrying passengers on trips to or from any train, ship, boat, or plane, where the one-way distance of the trip does not exceed 25 kilometres;
- While transporting school children when the transportation is paid by the province and the vehicle complies with the Education Act and its regulations; or
- That is a public motor bus being used to carry passengers and their baggage on a chartered trip from another jurisdiction over highways and to points in the province under a charter contract made in another jurisdiction if:
- The departure and destination points of the trip are in other jurisdictions; and
- No passengers are picked up or dropped off in New Brunswick.
The requirement for an operating authority licence also does not apply to van pool vehicles with a seating capacity of less than 10 people, including the driver, or van pool vehicles with seating capacity of 10 or more persons including the driver if:
- The motor vehicle is covered by insurance as prescribed by regulation; and
- Proof of the coverage is kept in the vehicle.
New Brunswick-based property-carrying vehicles
The operating authority requirements for freight trucks engaged in transportation of goods were eliminated. Carriers are required to obtain a safety fitness certificate plus applicable insurance to operate in New Brunswick.
Out-of-province carriers
Passenger-carrying
Out-of-province passenger carriers should contact the New Brunswick Energy & Utilities Board at www.nbeub.ca/index.php/en/motor-carrier for more details on obtaining operating authority.
A non-New Brunswick Canadian-based passenger carrier may be required to obtain a safety fitness certificate from its base province. The safety fitness certificate from the base province will be accepted in New Brunswick.
Property-carrying
The operating authority requirements for freight trucks engaged in transportation of goods were eliminated. A non-New Brunswick Canadian-based carrier is required to obtain a safety fitness certificate from its base province. The safety fitness certificate from the base province will be accepted in New Brunswick.
U. S. carriers
Passenger-carrying
United States-based passenger carriers should contact the New Brunswick Energy & Utilities Board at www.nbeub.ca/index.php/en/motor-carrier for more details on obtaining operating authority.
Property-carrying
The operating authority requirements for freight trucks engaged in transportation of goods were eliminated. U.S.-based carriers operating into New Brunswick may be required to provide their U.S. federal operating authority and their U.S. DOT number if requested by enforcement.
Insurance
Every commercial vehicle must be covered by a policy of insurance that insures, in respect of any one accident, to the limit of at least $1 million, exclusive of interest and costs, against loss or damage resulting from bodily injury to or the death of one or more persons and loss of or damage to property.
Every commercial vehicle that is used in the transportation of dangerous goods must be covered by a policy of insurance that insures, in respect of any one accident, to the limit of at least $2 million exclusive of interest and costs, against loss or damage resulting from bodily injury to or the death of one or more persons and loss of or damage to property.
For-hire carrier must have, with respect to the goods transported by a for-hire commercial vehicle, a policy of insurance that insures the goods against loss or damage to a maximum of $4.41 per kilogram computed on the total weight of the shipment or the declared value, whichever is higher.
The insurance required in respect of each public motor bus operated by a licenced motor carrier must be motor vehicle liability insurance as follows:
- In respect of any one accident, a minimum of $1 million, exclusive of interest and costs, against loss or damage resulting from bodily injury to or the death of one ore more persons and loss of damage to property; and
- For each public motor bus:
Seating Capacity Insurance Required 20 persons or fewer No less than $2 million against loss or damage resulting from bodily injury to or death of one or more passengers More than 20 persons No less than $3 million against loss or damage resulting from bodily injury to or death of one or more passengers
Safety fitness certificates
New Brunswick’s requirement for a safety fitness certificate applies to persons, defined as a carrier, who are responsible for the operation of a commercial vehicle for the transporting of goods or passengers. Commercial vehicles including trucks, tractors, trailers or combination thereof with a registered gross weight of 4,500 kilograms, and buses designed, constructed and used for the transportation of passengers with a designated seating capacity of more than 10 people, including the driver, but excludes the operation for personal use.
New Brunswick has not yet issued safety fitness certificates. Currently, it is sufficient to have the carrier’s National Safety Code number printed on the registration certificate. The number on the certificate is equivalent to having a safety fitness certificate. In the future, New Brunswick does intend to issue certificates.