File photo of a snowstorm on Highway 11 near Temagami, Ont. This is not one of the trucks in this story.

Updated October 17, 2026. Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers charged truck drivers and businesses in two separate stops this month. One was in Fergus on October 14. The other was on Highway 11 near Temagami on October 10. Together, the two stops led to 30 charges. Local news and trucking sites reported both stops this week. Here is what the OPP said, what the law asks of truck drivers and owners, and what it means if you drive or own a work truck.

A note first. A charge is not a finding of guilt. The people charged have not been to court yet.

The Fergus stop on October 14

The Wellington County OPP Traffic Management Unit was running what it called a proactive traffic enforcement initiative. At about 10:15 a.m., officers stopped a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) on Belsyde Avenue East in Fergus.

The OPP charged a 41-year-old driver from Parry Sound with 11 offences. They were under the Highway Traffic Act and the Cannabis Control Act. The list includes:

  • driving while under suspension
  • having a licence while prohibited
  • having more than one licence
  • not wearing a seat belt properly
  • not completing the daily inspection report accurately
  • having cannabis readily available in the vehicle
  • window tint that blocks the view of the inside
  • improper tires on a commercial motor vehicle
  • no cover on the load
  • driving with a major defect
  • driving with a minor defect

A business linked to the stop was charged with nine offences under the Highway Traffic Act. They include:

  • not making sure the daily inspection was done properly
  • not meeting vehicle performance standards
  • letting the truck run without showing an inspection sticker or proof
  • improper tires
  • no cover on the load
  • window tint
  • no name on the vehicle
  • no currently valid permit
  • letting an unlicensed person drive a commercial vehicle

The people charged are due at the Provincial Offences Court in Guelph on a date to be set.

The Highway 11 stop on October 10

On Saturday, October 10, at 7:45 a.m., OPP officers on Highway 11 in Temagami stopped a transport truck for a Highway Traffic Act violation. They then did a full inspection. According to the OPP release, as reported by BayToday, officers found:

  • a steering shaft joint with too much movement
  • a damaged driver's seat belt that did not work
  • a fuel filter that was actively leaking
  • cracked and broken frame cross members
  • turn signal lamps that did not work
  • loose fasteners between the frame and the cargo body, and damage to the cargo body

The driver had a daily inspection report that said there were no defects. The OPP deemed the truck unsafe to drive. Officers took away its annual inspection sticker and its licence plates.

A 24-year-old driver from Sudbury faces six charges. A 34-year-old owner and operator from Barrie faces four. Both got offence notices and must appear at the Provincial Offences Court in Haileybury later.

Photo: Nick3501, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

File photo of an OPP cruiser (2011).

What the rules say

Ontario has a rule called Ontario Regulation 199/07. It covers inspections of commercial motor vehicles. Here are the key points.

  • A driver must do a daily inspection of the truck and any trailer. The inspection is good for 24 hours.
  • The driver must fill out a report that lists any major or minor defects. If there are none, the report must say so.
  • A driver may keep driving with a minor defect if it is written on the report. A major defect is a different matter. Examples of major defects in the rules include a flat tire, a tire worn below the legal limit, a cracked frame member and a seat belt that is missing or does not work.
  • Drivers must pass the report to the operator, the business responsible for the truck. This must happen no later than 20 days after the inspection stops being valid.
  • Operators must keep daily inspection reports for at least six months.

The OPP says the point is simple. Inspection reports must match the real condition of the truck, and safety problems must be fixed before the truck goes on a highway.

You can read the full rules on the Ontario e-Laws site.

Does this apply to my pickup?

Many people drive pickups for work. The regulation has limits on what counts as a commercial motor vehicle. A commercial motor vehicle with a gross weight, or a registered gross weight, of 4,500 kg or less is not included. The rules also leave out a pickup used only for personal reasons that carries no commercial cargo, tools or equipment. Weight and use both matter, so ask the Ministry of Transportation if you are unsure.

Light pickups on Vehonix include the Ford F-150, the Toyota Tundra and the Toyota Tacoma. We do not have pages for heavy-duty pickups such as the F-250 on Vehonix. You can also browse all pickups on Vehonix.

Whatever you drive, check for open safety recalls on your vehicle. Our recalls page links to Transport Canada's notices.

Not just one stop

These two stops are small next to the group operations the OPP runs. Here are two from earlier this year.

Operation Dates What was reported
Operation Highway Guardian (GTA and Durham) April 29 and 30 148 inspections, 72 vehicles out of service, 211 charges
Grey-Bruce commercial vehicle blitz June 1 to 3 and June 5 95 vehicles stopped, 41 out of service, 81 charges

During Operation Highway Guardian, the OPP also did driver education. It reminded drivers to do checks before and after each trip, to report defects and to hold the right licence.

What about electric trucks?

Almost all medium and heavy vehicles on the road are not battery-electric. Transport Canada's dashboard shows about 11,464 battery-electric medium and heavy vehicles in use as of April 1, 2026. That is about 0.4% of all medium and heavy vehicles. If you are curious about how electric vehicles are growing for cars, see our electric vehicle guide for Canada.

More safety stories

We cover recalls and safety news in our Recalls and safety section. Two recent stories are the Kia Seltos AWD recall and the Toyota Land Cruiser fuel tube recall.

What we don't know yet

  • The names of the people and businesses charged. The OPP did not share them in the releases we read.
  • What kind of trucks were stopped in Fergus. The OPP release calls it a commercial motor vehicle.
  • The fines. The releases do not list penalties, and the cases are in front of the courts.
  • Whether more stops like these are planned. The OPP has not said.

Vehonix is not a police or legal source. This story uses OPP news releases as published by local news sites and the other sources below.

FAQ

What did the OPP charge in Fergus? A 41-year-old driver from Parry Sound faces 11 charges and a linked business faces nine. The stop was on October 14, 2026.

What happened near Temagami? OPP stopped a transport truck on Highway 11 on October 10 and found defects including a cracked frame and a leaking fuel filter. Two people were charged, and the truck's inspection sticker and plates were removed.

Are the people guilty? Not yet. A charge is an allegation, and the cases still have to go to court.

What is a daily inspection report? It is a paper or electronic form that a driver fills out after a daily check of the truck. It lists any major or minor defects.

Can a driver keep driving with a defect? A minor defect can be allowed if it is written on the report. A major defect is a different case, and the OPP says safety defects must be fixed before the truck is used on a highway.

Do these rules apply to a small pickup? Not always. The regulation leaves out vehicles with a gross weight or registered gross weight of 4,500 kg or less, and some pickups used only for personal reasons. Ask the Ministry of Transportation if you are unsure.

Sources

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