RCMP Land Transport Services

Land Transport

History

In 1916, the Force purchased two McLaughlin Buicks for border patrol duties along the Manitoba-United States Border. The use of trucks and motorcycles in the Force commenced in 1920 with the purchase of 10 Reo trucks and 15 motorcycles. The power toboggan (snow-sedan) was first introduced in 1948; the term snowmobile was first used in 1955 and gradually replaced the sled dogs in northern service, as motor vehicles had replaced the horse.

Through the years more and more vehicles were purchased by Land Transport Section to meet the ever-growing transportation needs of the Force. In 1968 Land Transport Section became part of Materiel Management Branch. On March 11, 1974 the Land Transport Section was absorbed by a new Transport Management Branch which had the responsibility of administering both motor vehicles and water transport.

In 1994, Transport Management Branch was reorganized and incorporated with Materiel Management Branch. The procurement side of Transport has become a section of the Materiel Procurement function. The policy side of Transport is now known as Fleet Program Administration.

Duties

The mandate of Transport Management Branch involves the planning, development, implementation and administration of transport management policies and programs for the Force. This mandate is achieved by carrying out centralized policy making, budget forecasting and managing, procurement, records keeping and maintenance of the Force's total fleet of land transportation vehicles and equipment. The branch has a staff of ten — four regular members and six public servants.

Present Transport Fleet

The diversity of duties performed throughout the Force demands a wide variety of vehicles. These specialized requirements are met under contract with the manufacturers using a mix of RCMP or government motor vehicle specifications. The RCMP specification is a refinement of the broader government specification and defines vehicle features unique to a policing role. This specification is reviewed with all vehicle manufacturers and updated annually.

Patrol vehicles are full-size, rear-wheel drive units with V-8 engines. They are equipped with a “police package” that provides an upgraded suspension system, heavy-duty power train, speed-rated tires and other features for increased durability and safety. Air bags and anti-lock brakes are standard equipment in the 1990s. Approximately 35% of the fleet is made up of marked and unmarked patrol vehicles.

High performance Ford Mustangs and Chevrolet Camaros are in use on four-lane highways where traffic volume and higher speeds are encountered. The remainder of the fleet consists of various makes and models of cars and trucks. These are selected to meet a variety of operational and administrative vehicle requirements such as:

• mid-size, unmarked, specialty cars for surveillance duty;
• full-size large sedans for VIP escorts;
• station wagons and vans for cargo carrying, police service dogs, Ident. or Telecoms requirements;
• light trucks for trailer towing, and off-road operation; and
• specialty trucks with special-purpose-built boxes for Emergency Response Teams, Underwater Recovery Teams, and Explosive Disposal Units.

RCMP Land Transport Fleet Inventory includes:

• Cars 5,600
• Trucks 2,350
• Motorcycles 34
• Small Snowmobiles 481
• All Terrain Vehicles 181
• Gas Railway Car 1
• Tractors 27
• Buses 3
• Total 8,677

see also:

• Air Services
• Marine Services