Policy

The Immediate Roadside Sanctions (IRS) Program IRS ZERO: Commercial Program aligns with the mandate to improve road safety for all users. Commercial drivers operating in a commercial capacity are held at a higher standard due to the complexity and size of commercial vehicles. This change aligns with other Canadian jurisdictions who currently have a zero tolerance approach for drivers who operate in a commercial capacity.

Effective December 1, 2020, “operating a commercial vehicle” means operating a:

• (a)  commercial vehicle or combination of commercial vehicles that is registered for a gross weight of more than 11 794 kilograms, or
• (b)  commercial vehicle that has a manufacturer’s seating capacity originally designed for 11 or more passengers, including the driver.

Driver's with any detectable alcohol (up to a BAC of 0.049) and/or drug in their system will be issued an immediate suspension under the IRS ZERO: Commercial Program.

This program automatically imposes the following:

IRS ZERO: Commercial Occurrences	Immediate Driver’s licence suspension/disqualification	Fines
First occurrence	Three-day	$300 fine plus victim fine surcharge
Second occurrence	15-day	$600 fine plus victim fine surcharge
Third and subsequent occurrence(s)	30-day	$1,200 fine plus victim fine surcharge

Note:
Unlike other suspension types, IRS ZERO: Commercial suspensions will not result in a vehicle seizure.

Review Process

An IRS ZERO: Commercial suspension/disqualification can be reviewed by SafeRoads Alberta. See 3.30.11 SafeRoads Alberta Review Application and other SafeRoads Alberta Services.  

Date Originally Issued: Dec 01, 2020
Date Last Revised: Jul 07, 2021