Commercial Motor Vehicle maintenance - Quebec

Application

All carriers are required to establish a preventative maintenance program for their vehicles to ensure that they remain in good operating condition and that all parts and components are safe.

Road vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of less than 4,500 kilograms, road vehicles with a GVWR that is less than 4,500 kilograms that form a combination of road vehicles whose GVWR is 4,500 kilograms or more, and farm tractors/machinery are exempt from maintenance standards provisions.

Requirements

The carrier’s maintenance program must include the inspection, repair and maintenance of each vehicle at least once every six months. Carriers must document all maintenance activity by creating an up-to-date file for each vehicle which contains:

• The vehicle identification number (VIN) and the licence plate number, the make, model year, and the name of the owner or long-term lessor;
• The schedule of upcoming inspections according to the recall criterion used by the carrier and the purpose of each servicing;
• The maintenance sheet for each servicing;
• Proof of repairs made following maintenance inspections;
• The date of the start and end of storage, if applicable; and
• A record of the brake lining or camshaft rotation measurements (if the measurements are not indicated on the maintenance sheets) for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 7,258 kilograms or more.

All records must be retained for a period of two years or for 12 months after the sale of the vehicle.

Preventative maintenance program (PMP) certification

The Société l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) may certify any preventive maintenance program (PMP) in place of mandatory periodic mechanical inspection if it meets the following minimum standards:

• The road vehicles subject to the program comply with the provisions of subdivisions 2 to 14 of Division III or IV of Chapter II of the Regulation respecting safety standards for road vehicles;
• The owner applying for the certification of the program must have a place sheltered from frost and bad weather ensuring access to the various parts of the road vehicle;
• The mechanics assigned to the preventive maintenance of heavy vehicles having a gross vehicle weight rating of 7,258 kilograms or more must hold a certificate of competency issued by the SAAQ;
• The mechanics assigned to the preventive maintenance of heavy vehicles whose gross weight rating is less than 7,258 kilograms and medium-weight vehicles registered in the PMP must hold a vocational study diploma recognized by the Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports in automobile mechanics and have two years of relevant experience in the repair of the mechanisms of road vehicles, particularly the suspension, steering and brake system; have five years of relevant experience in the repair of the mechanisms of road vehicles, particularly the suspension, steering and brake system; or hold the certificate of competency issued by the SAAQ (Highway Safety Code Section 543.3.1);
• The records are required to contain the following information and documents for each vehicle covered by the program:
  • Identification number of the vehicle and the plate number, the make, year, owner’s name, and where applicable, the name of the long-term lessor;
  • Schedule of upcoming services according to the recall criterion used by the carrier and the purpose of each service;
  • Maintenance sheets completed and signed by the mechanic who serviced the vehicle for each service performed since the beginning of the program or for the two last years of operation, whichever is shortest;
  • For heavy vehicles having a gross vehicle weight rating of 7,258 kilograms or more, a register of the brake lining measurements if they are not provided on the maintenance sheets;
  • Proof that the repairs have been made following the service; and
  • The dates on which the storage begins and ends, where applicable.

The owner must provide certain documentation when applying for the certification of a PMP. For more details, see tinyurl.com/QCpmp (forms and guides available in French only).

The owner of the road vehicles covered by a certified preventive maintenance program is required to keep certain detailed records of vehicle maintenance. See tinyurl.com/QCpmp for details.

An owner of a road vehicle subject to a recognized preventive maintenance program must keep records for the last two last years of operation of the road vehicle and, if the vehicle is transferred, the owner must keep the record for a least six months after the date of the transfer.

Law

Highway Safety Code

Regulation

Regulation Respecting Safety Standards for Road Vehicles (O.C. 1483-98)