The Ontario Ministry of Transportation periodically undertakes on-highway surveys of commercial vehicles. In 1988, it surveyed some 19,000 trucks to obtain information for its highway planning and protection mandate. During the course of the survey, the characteristics of the vehicles were documented, and data collected on carriers, area of registration, load utilization, commodity type and weight, and trip origin and destination. As well, a profile of the Ontario truck driver was generated. Surveys were undertaken at 57 locations scattered throughout the province at permanent inspections stations, laybys and some border crossing points. At several of the stations, interviewing was done during each of the four seasons. An outline of the methodology used in the 1988 ontario commercial vehicle survey and some principal findings are presented in this paper.
Abstract