Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to the compliance questions Canadian carriers ask us most. Don't see yours? Ask us directly — the first conversation is always free.
The National Safety Code (NSC) number is a safety certificate every commercial carrier in Canada needs before operating trucks over a certain weight (typically 4,500 kg registered gross weight, depending on the province). It identifies your company to enforcement agencies and links your safety record — collisions, convictions and inspections — to your business. If you operate commercial vehicles in Canada, you almost certainly need one, and we can register it for you.
Yes — if you operate a truck or tractor-trailer with a registered gross weight over 4,500 kg in Ontario, you need a valid CVOR (Commercial Vehicle Operator's Registration) certificate. The CVOR is Ontario's version of the NSC and tracks your safety performance. Operating without one, or with an expired one, can result in significant fines and your vehicles being taken out of service. We handle new CVOR applications, renewals and abstract monitoring.
An MTO auditor visits your place of business and reviews your compliance systems: driver qualification files, hours-of-service records, vehicle maintenance files, trip inspections and your safety policies. You receive a rating that directly affects your CVOR standing — a failed audit can lead to sanctions, including losing your operating privileges. Most audits are triggered by poor CVOR performance, collisions or complaints. Our audit preparation service includes a full mock audit, file remediation and support on audit day, which is why our clients pass at a 98% rate.
Under the Canadian ELD mandate, most federally regulated carriers must use a certified electronic logging device to record drivers' hours of service — paper logs are no longer acceptable for most operations. The device must be certified by an accredited third-party body (unlike the US, where suppliers self-certify). Drivers must also understand the Canadian cycle rules, which differ from US rules. We help you choose a certified ELD, set it up, train your drivers and audit the logs it produces.
Cross-border operation requires several pieces: a US DOT number, MC (motor carrier) operating authority from the FMCSA, a BOC-3 process agent filing, US-compliant insurance, enrollment in a DOT drug & alcohol testing program, FMCSA Clearinghouse registration, plus IRP apportioned plates and an IFTA account. It's a multi-step process with real consequences for getting it wrong. We manage the entire setup end-to-end — most clients are road-legal for the US within two to three weeks.
The International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) lets you report fuel taxes for all member provinces and states on a single quarterly return, filed in your base jurisdiction. Returns are due four times a year — at the end of April, July, October and January. Late or inaccurate filings mean penalties, interest and a higher chance of a fuel tax audit. We prepare and file your quarterly returns from your distance and fuel records, and set up record-keeping systems that stand up to an audit.
A complete DQ file typically includes the driver's application, licence copy, driver abstract (updated at least annually), medical certificate where required, road test or equivalent, previous employment verification, training records and annual performance reviews. For US-bound drivers, add drug & alcohol testing records and Clearinghouse queries. Incomplete driver files are one of the most common audit failures we see — and one of the easiest to prevent with proper tracking.
Act now — don't wait for a warning letter. Rising CVOR points from collisions, convictions and inspections push you toward MTO intervention: warning letters, interviews, facility audits and ultimately sanctions. We start with a CVOR abstract review to find what's driving the points, challenge any incorrect entries, then fix the root causes — driver coaching, maintenance gaps or hours-of-service issues — and monitor the abstract monthly so you're never surprised again.
A single-truck operation faces the same rules as a 100-truck fleet — the same audits, the same roadside inspections, the same filing deadlines — but without a safety department to manage them. One out-of-service order or missed IFTA quarter can wipe out weeks of profit. Our owner-operator plans cover the essentials (registrations, filings, driver file, log auditing) at a price that makes sense for one truck.
It depends on your fleet size and what you need — a one-time CVOR registration is priced very differently from full monthly compliance management for 40 trucks. What we promise: clear, flat pricing quoted up front, no hidden fees and no long-term lock-in contracts. Start with the free compliance review; you'll get a written quote alongside it, and there's no obligation either way.
No — while we're based in Brampton and know Ontario's MTO/CVOR system inside out, we support carriers in every province and territory. The National Safety Code applies across Canada, and registrations, filings, driver files and audits can all be managed remotely. We currently serve clients in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Atlantic Canada, plus cross-border fleets running into the US.
Simple: request a free compliance review or email us at info@proactivesafetysolutions.ca. We'll review your CVOR abstract, files and filings, walk you through what we find in plain language and give you a written plan and quote. From there, you decide — no pressure, no obligation.