The campaign to stop transport trucks from short-cutting along downtown Hamilton streets has won a key ally.
Ron Foxcroft, the CEO of Fluke Transport, is supporting calls for changes to the city’s designated truck routes.
Foxcroft stresses that “we are responsible to the general public when we get behind our big transport trucks” and says the company owes it to them to be advocates for “safety first.”
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Hamilton’s Truck Route Master Plan is under review with an eye on requiring transports to use Burlington Street and the QEW, rather than crossing through the downtown core to get to the 403 on streets such as Cannon and Queen.
Foxcroft says Fluke’s drivers have already made that change, even though it costs money and time, because “one tragic loss of life is one life too many.”
Foxcroft adds that truck routes and safety are more than just a downtown issue.
He says they are also investigating alternate routes around Binbrook and Fruitland roads in Stoney Creek, because of residential growth in those areas.
Fluke Transport will mark 100 years in operation in March, 2020.
Statement from Fluke Transport
As the longest serving trucking company in Hamilton, Fluke Transport will mark 100 years in March 1, 2020. So our support for revamping the city’s designated truck routes may be a surprise. We also sat on the committee to take transports off Airport Road (except for delivery) when I was chair of the airport.
It is now time to take transport trucks away from downtown, away from Cannon Street, and away from the Queen-King Street right turn.
The city advised us about two years ago that the LRT would prohibit right turns from Queen to King and then to Highway 403. Instead, we take Burlington Street eastward to the QEW then over the Skyway when our trucks head to Brantford (which is often).
Does it cost more money? Yes. However, we won’t compromise when it comes to safety. One tragic loss of life, like the loss of cyclist Herman Ohrt, is one life too many. Safety always comes first.
We applaud Coun. Wilson and Coun. Farr for their leadership on revamping designated truck routes and taking transports away from downtown and residential streets.
Ron Foxcroft, CEO, Fluke Transport Ltd.