On-Site Inspections: TEN & Ontario Pilot a New Era for Fleet Uptime

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario – April 15, 2026 – The familiar sight of commercial trailers being shuttled to and from inspection facilities, a process that costs fleets both time and money, may soon become a relic of the past. In a significant move to modernize transportation logistics, the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) has selected Transportation Equipment Network (TEN), North America's largest full-service trailer lessor, to participate in its innovative DriveON Mobile Pilot Project. This initiative allows certified trailer safety inspections to be conducted directly at a customer's yard, a change poised to dramatically reduce vehicle downtime and increase operational efficiency across the province.

TEN's participation marks a crucial step in a broader industry shift towards more flexible, digitized compliance models. By deploying trained technicians to perform on-site inspections, the company aims to transform a long-standing logistical headache into a streamlined, integrated part of a fleet's workflow.

Modernizing Compliance to Combat Downtime

For any commercial fleet, a trailer sitting idle in an inspection bay is a non-earning asset. The traditional method of compliance—taking equipment out of service, assigning a driver, and transporting it to a certified facility—creates a cascade of direct and indirect costs. These include fuel, driver wages, lost revenue opportunities, and complex scheduling challenges that disrupt the finely tuned ballet of modern supply chains.

The MTO's mobile pilot directly targets this critical industry pain point. The program enables certified technicians to bring the inspection to the trailer, rather than the other way around. Inspections can be scheduled during natural lulls in operation, such as overnight or between loads, ensuring that valuable equipment remains in service and on the road when it's needed most.

“The DriveON pilot gives fleets a way to stay compliant without taking equipment out of service and losing valuable time, which is exactly what our customers have been asking for and what the industry needs right now,” said Hooman Yazhari, CEO of TEN, in a recent statement. “Being selected for this program speaks to the maintenance standards and safety processes our team has built over many years, and we see this as an opportunity to raise the bar on how inspections are delivered across the country.”

The economic benefits extend beyond simply minimizing downtime. By eliminating the need to travel for inspections, fleets can realize tangible savings on fuel and labor. Furthermore, the digital nature of the DriveON system, which allows for real-time submission of results, reduces administrative burdens and helps fleet managers maintain audit-ready compliance records without chasing paperwork.

Ontario's DriveON: A New Digital Frontier for Safety

The mobile pilot is a key extension of the MTO's broader DriveON program, a comprehensive initiative launched in April 2022 to replace the province's decades-old, paper-based Motor Vehicle Inspection Station (MVIS) system. The overarching goals of DriveON are to enhance road safety, reduce emissions, and improve compliance through a secure, digital-first platform.

By digitizing the entire inspection process, the program aims to significantly reduce fraud and improve the quality and consistency of safety checks. Every inspection is logged in a central system, creating a verifiable and transparent record for each vehicle. The program also integrates emissions testing for heavy-duty diesel vehicles, aligning with provincial and federal environmental goals.

The mobile trailer inspection pilot, which initially launched in August 2024 with a small group of participants, is now being expanded. The MTO plans to grow the program to include up to 50 participants in its next phase, signaling the government's confidence in the model and its commitment to finding innovative, industry-friendly regulatory solutions. This collaborative approach, which has earned support from groups like the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA), balances the non-negotiable need for public safety with the commercial realities of the transportation sector.

TEN's Strategic Play in a Shifting Landscape

TEN's selection for the pilot was not incidental. The MTO cited the company's extensive infrastructure, operational scale, and proven track record in fleet maintenance as key factors in its decision. With approximately 83,000 trailers, nearly 50 locations across North America, and a robust mobile service fleet of over 100 trucks, TEN was uniquely positioned to execute the demands of the program.

This initiative is a natural extension of the company's existing TEN Care program, a full-service maintenance and repair solution that already provides scheduled maintenance and emergency repairs on-site. By adding certified DriveON inspections to its mobile service offerings, TEN is deepening its integration with its customers' operations and solidifying its role as an end-to-end fleet partner.

This strategic move enhances TEN's value proposition, differentiating it in a competitive market. For a fleet manager, the ability to bundle leasing, maintenance, and now certified compliance into a single-provider relationship offers unparalleled convenience and efficiency. It transforms the service provider from a simple vendor into a strategic partner dedicated to maximizing the lifespan and uptime of every asset in the fleet.

The Future of Fleet Services: Digital, Mobile, and Integrated

The DriveON mobile pilot is more than just a regional program; it is a bellwether for the future of fleet management and regulatory compliance across North America. The success of this public-private partnership in Ontario is likely to serve as a model for other provinces and U.S. states looking to modernize their own systems.

The initiative taps into several powerful industry trends. The first is the move towards on-demand, mobile services—a consumer-world expectation that is now reshaping B2B industries. The second is the inexorable march of digitalization, where telematics, IoT, and cloud-based platforms are creating smarter, more connected, and more efficient supply chains. The DriveON system, with its digital tools and real-time data submission, fits perfectly within this ecosystem.

By proving the viability of mobile, on-demand compliance, TEN and the MTO are helping to define a new standard for the industry. This model not only boosts efficiency but also has the potential to improve overall safety by making it easier and more convenient for fleets to remain compliant. As this trend continues, the integration of maintenance, compliance, and technology will become the defining characteristic of successful fleet operations.