The objective of this follow-up audit was to determine whether the Department of Transportation had implemented our outstanding 2009 recommendation to consistently apply its policy of progressive sanctions against carriers that persistently fail to comply with transportation legislation.
Our follow-up audit examined the department’s processes to apply its Progressive Intervention and Discipline Policy on carriers that do not comply with transportation legislation. We also examined the department’s process to identify and follow up on carrier complaints received through Justice and Solicitor General. Department management asserted to us prior to our follow-up that they had implemented the recommendation.
We reviewed the policies and procedures for each process and examined samples to assess if the department had implemented our recommendation. We conducted our field work between July and October 2017.
Conclusion
Because of the significance of the findings described below, we conclude that the Department of Transportation was still not, as of July 1, 2017, consistently following its policy of taking timely and appropriate enforcement action against non-compliant carriers. In the eight years since our original audit, the department has made improvements to its systems. The department has improved its processes to identify and follow up on all carrier complaints received. However, we found insufficient improvement in the consistency of enforcement actions from our 2014 follow-up audit findings, and senior management was not aware of these continued inconsistencies.
Why This Conclusion Matters to Albertans
With economic expansion and a growing population, more commercial vehicles are on Alberta’s roads than ever before. Albertans need to know that Alberta’s commercial vehicle safety programs will identify high-risk carriers, deal with them appropriately, and ultimately help reduce risks while ensuring the goods transported on our highways make it to their destination.
