2024 Quebec Spring Thaw – Period & Regulations
As spring approaches, the Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable in Quebec announced its 2024 thaw restrictions and regulations for heavy vehicle users on the road. Here’s what you should know.
Quebec Spring Thaw: Dates, Restrictions and Regulations
What is the thaw period and why are there regulations?
In Quebec, each spring, the Ministère anticipates and determines the dates on which it thinks the thaw period will occur, dividing the province into three separate zones. The reason for this is that during this period, the roads are estimated to be 30 to 70% more fragile than usual, making heavy vehicles a potential cause of significant road damage.
During this period, heavy vehicles are required to reduce their load weights per the dates determined for each zone, with these restrictions varying from 8 to 20%. On top of following weather predictions, these periods are determined by monitoring the road conditions and the thawing progress via sensors across the Quebec road network.
The limits for the predicted 2024 thaw period are as follows:
Zone 1: From Monday, March 18th (00:01) to Friday, May 10th (23:59)
Zone 2: From Monday, March 25th (00:01) to Friday, May 17th (23:59)
Zone 3: From Monday, April 1st (00:01) to Friday, May 24th (23:59)
On this map, you can see the different zones established:
Source: Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable
The start and end of those restriction periods might be moved ahead or postponed depending on changes in weather or road conditions. For more information, you can refer to the Vehicle Load and Size Limits Regulation or the full PDF for the Road Vehicle Load and Size Limits Guide.
Important things to keep in mind for both shippers and carriers
The weight restrictions are not limited to the cargo itself but to the distribution across the truck’s axles as well. If the weight isn’t distributed evenly across all axles, the truck might be subjected to overloading fines. On the Ministère des Transports’ website, it mentions:
“In cases of overload, all heavy-vehicle drivers must distribute the load over the axles or unload the excess weight before getting back on the road.”
Although most of the responsibility seems to lie on carriers, please remember as a shipper that you can also play a part in keeping our roads safe by making sure to enter the proper weight of your skids before shipping them. This way, you will ensure that your shipments aren’t delayed by possible weight issues, on top of making your carrier’s work a lot faster and easier.
