If you thought you knew everything there was to know about getting a permit for an oversized load in BC, think again. Our Provincial Permit Centre (PPC) is a one-stop shop for the commercial transportation industry for all of their permit needs. In a recent chat with the folks at the PPC, we learned that a lot of people aren’t using the centre to its full capacity and, being the helpful folks they are, asked us to share their tips with you, in order to help make your permitting process even easier.
Turns out there are some common misconceptions about what the PPC does, and doesn’t do. And some of these myths might be slowing you down unnecessarily.
Myth #1 “Getting a permit is such a hassle and takes forever”
Actually, getting a permit has never been easier, and if you have applied for a permit once, your repeat applications get quicker and quicker. Did you know that the average time to process a permit through the call centre falls between 90 seconds and three minutes?
It is also important to know your options. You can also apply online anytime between 6 am and 10pm, with an average approval time of 15 minutes. Or, you can call Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement Branch’s toll-free permit line: 1-800-559-9688 anytime between 5am to 10pm, seven days a week and most statutory holidays.
Myth #2 “The permit centre line is always swamped with calls, delaying my application”
It’s true we can have busy periods, but did you know that the permit centre is open sixteen hours a day, seven days a week? If at all possible, the folks at the PPC suggest you plan ahead and aim to call in for permits during the less busy times of the day. For example: the centre may receive 1130 calls on a Monday compared to 120 calls on a Sunday!
To maintain high client service standards, the PPC staggers permit clerk working hours to meet peak call-in times. As a result, permit request calls received during the day are processed in less than seven minutes and less than two per cent of all permit calls during peak times are forwarded to the back-up facility.
So, now that we have busted some of the PPC myths, we hope your application process will run more smoothly. Knowledge is power and now the power is yours.
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