Alberta enters agreement to reduce inspection stops for oilfield service rigs

The Alberta government has entered into an agreement to cut down on the number of inspection stops for oilfield service rigs.

A new memorandum of agreement with the Canadian Association of Energy Contractors, an industry advocacy group, will integrate drivers into a pre-clearance program, Drivewyze, so approved vehicles can bypass stops at select weigh stations, according to a news release the provincial government issued Thursday.

But association members who subscribe to Drivewyze and meet certain safety benchmarks will be exempt from routine stops at vehicle inspection stations, the release said.

"When [oil rig service providers] load up essentially the same convoy, it's the same trucks with the same weight, with the same equipment that go from location to location," Minister of Trans