RADIO CALLING
FOREST ROAD PROCEDURE #2
Cascades District Resource Road Safety Committee
Effective June 1 st , 2010 and expires May 31 st , 2018
www.for.gov.bc.ca/dcs
June 1/10 Cascades Forest District Resource Road Safety Committee page 1 of 1
Renewed expiration date to 2018 April 9, 2013
These procedures are the minimum standard that applies to all forest roads within the Cascades
District that are maintained for industrial use.
DRIVE DEFENSIVELY – ROADS ARE RADIO ASSISTED NOT RADIO CONTROLLED

 

KEEP YOUR SPEED DOWN!
IF YOU ARE SLIDING AROUND IN THE CORNERS YOU ARE GOING TOO FAST.

If you go around a corner and slide out of your lane you are going too fast. BE SMART. Play it safe. We all want to make it home each day
 

Known Hazards
1. Losing track of your location

2. Not following calling procedures
3. Losing track of other vehicles location

4. Unnecessary radio chatter
5. Meeting oncoming vehicle without a
radio
6. Using the wrong frequency
7. Walking over” other calls

8. Being distracted

​

Travelling at 60kph you pass a kilometer marker about every 1 1/2 minutes.

If you hear someone saying 10 up (roadname) and you're at 35 down...then you dont hear him again for 15 minutes you know he might be coming up to 20 or 22 up around the same time you might be at 25 or 24 down. If you think he might be close start calling every kilometer til you hear him.

so be careful and keep track of all the movement on the road.

1. Call order is ROAD NAME, KM, DIRECTION (up and down) AND VEHICLE TYPE

So I would say "zero up (roadname) "anybody close?"

Wait for an answer if someone says"Im down at !/2 K then wait till they come off the road prior to starting up. If someone answers your zero k call and says down at 7 you say ok up at zero. And then you say I will wait for you about 3k

When you get to 3K and are going to wait for the logging truck or whomever is coming down you say" clear at 3K"

You wait til they pass then you say" both ways at 3 and carry on up the hill

2. “Up” is defined as increasing numbers; “Down” is defined as decreasing numbers.

What that means is that if the kilometer markers are increasing like 1,2,3,4 in the direction you are travelling you are travelling in the 'up' direction. You are travelling in the 'up' direction even if you are going down a very long hill.

If the kilometer markers are getting lower like 35,34,33,32,31 etc in the direction you are travelling then you are travelling in the 'down' direction. You are travelling in the 'down' direction even if you are climbing a very long uphill portion of the road.

3. Where a radio frequency is posted on a forest road and unless, a sign indicates otherwise,
radio users call:
a When entering a new road system
b At posted “must call” signs
c Every 2 kilometres or every kilometre when inbound or adjoining traffic is approaching
within 5 kilometres.
d Every 2-3 kilometres if no oncoming traffic.
e

Whenever there is a road frequency/channel change, or when leaving a road you say clear off (roadname) at 22 or wherever you clear off
fWhenever you are stopping and parking on the road,

 you say "stopped and clear at (km) on (roadname) and announce your location and direction again when you resume travel
g Let others know when you encounter a vehicle travelling without a radio
(ie No radio, road name, km, direction)

I would say "one at 6 down (roadname). No radio"

It's a courtesy to let others know of a vehicle with no radio
h Anticipate oncoming traffic
4. Convoy calling
a The lead vehicle is responsible for calling for all vehicles in the convoy (and number of
vehicles).

That means you might say "7 up (roadname) for three"
b It is the responsibility of the vehicle joining or leaving the convoy to inform and to
receive confirmation from the lead vehicle.
c Convoys can be no more than 1 km long.
d A vehicle more than 1 km behind the lead vehicle is no longer part of that convoy and
must call their own position.
5. Never pass any vehicle without notifying them on the radio and receiving the “OK”.  "you might say to the logging truck ahead of you "hey logger at 17 down (roadname) alright if I go past you on this straight stretch?

He might say ok giver or he might say wait til we go through these upcoming switchback corners. Remember the logger knows every inch of the road and will let you by only if its safe to do so. So listen to them.

The lead
vehicle is responsible for slowing down, providing room and advising the passing vehicle
when it is safe to pass
6. Avoid distractions while monitoring the road channel;
a Radio use is restricted to calling Km’s and important messages.

That means no un necessary chatting on the road channel
b Avoid noise distractions i.e. AM/FM radios, phones, music players, passengers so keep the stereo level low or off.
c Stay on designated road channel at all times while travelling.
d Pull over when using alternate radio channels, phones etc.

Be professional and be safe