PROPOSED MANDATORY DRIVER LICENCING TRAINING

TIME TRAVELLER · NIAGARA REGION, ONT

PROPOSED MANDATORY DRIVER LICENCING TRAINING

427CARL · CLINTON, ONT

Mandatory Entry-Level Training for Commercial Truck Drivers

Regulation Number(s):

340/94

Bill or Act:

Highway Traffic Act

Summary of Proposal:

A Class A driver's licence is a commercial licence which authorizes the holder to drive heavy trucks and tractor-trailers. Currently, a person wishing to obtain a Class A licence may obtain the licence by taking a knowledge and road test at a DriveTest Centre without taking a training course. Drivers may also choose to take voluntary training with a training organization. MTO is proposing to, once implemented, require any new applicant for a Class A licence, to successfully complete a mandatory entry-level training course prior to attempting the road test. The introduction of mandatory training, in addition to the testing requirements, is designed to ensure that commercial truck drivers are properly trained before they are licensed. As part of this proposal, MTO is also updating the knowledge (written) and road tests for all commercial class licences.

MTO and Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) play a key role in the training, testing and licensing of truck drivers. It is proposed that three types of training providers will be authorized to provide the mandatory entry-level training course: a Private Career College registered under the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005; an Ontario College of Applied Arts and Technology; or a recognized authority under MTO's Driver Certification Program.

Training providers will develop curriculum, used to train applicants, based on new common core training standards. The new standards are expected to be released by summer 2016. Training providers will have approximately one year to develop their curriculum and to obtain the necessary approvals.

Applicants will be required to pay for the mandatory entry-level training course. Approved training providers offering the training course will set their own course fees. Currently, to take a registered course, that is not mandatory, the approximate cost is $8,000. Under this proposal, the course fees, as well as the duration of the course, will not be known until the approved training providers receive the new standards and update their current curriculum.

Applicants who do not complete the mandatory entry-level training course through an approved training provider will not be permitted to attempt the Class A road test.

This proposal is not designed to impose new training obligations on existing Class A driver's licence holders.

shag766 · FOXBORO, ONT

whether this is the right way to go about it or not i don't know but i firmly believe that some sort of change or changes have to be made to the current system for obtaining a class A endorsement. not too long ago there was a driving school in brampton that catered to a certain ethnic group that got busted for endorsing and passing people that never took a lesson. they got off the plane, welcome to canada, drove 5-10 miles handed over x number of dollars to a driving school, get the license, put into a truck with one or 2 other very questionable licensed drivers and told to pay attention. well when 1 dummy teaches another dummy you obviously end up with 2 dummies that never should of been behind the wheel in the first place. don't ever think this isn't still going on but just covered up better. a lot of these guys come from countries where they didn't have a license at home for a car let alone have a snow and ice season.
i don't know what the fix is but it has to be fixed somehow. maybe some sort of a graduated system that can be verified. 15-20 years ago if one of my guys was off i didn't mind jumping in the truck for awhile but not today. i will pay the bill for an outside carrier for awhile rather than drive especially in the winter.

Offset · HALIBURTON, ONT

While I agree that the estimated $8K is a lot of money I really have no issue with this arrangement.

Most big rig drivers in my opinion are professional drivers but some for certain some are not. We should not lower the standards of skill to appease some people who just need a job. Put some pride into it and learn from a qualified professional driver. IMHO.

Redneck Rydes · TRENTON, ONT & SOUTH CAROLINA

Well there goes My chance to get My AR licence to drive My Dually with over 10000 lbs on My trailer.I was told that My CDL that I hold in S.C. is not valid in Ontario.

Modfather · VICTORIA HARBOUR, ONT

I also agree that it should be mandated. As stated these folks are professionals and I bet that their daily job is more demanding than being an airline pilot these days. I have nothing but respect for the trucking industry and it is time that the standards are brought up. Could you imagine if the test included reading road signs in English. If the standards are raised and the costs for education are increased so should the wages to offset the cost of becoming a true respected licensed professional driver.

On the other hand there are some people driving these rigs that should never have goat a license we have had trucks in our yard where the drivers have had no concept of even how to back up. I blame this on the companies that hire these clowns, All because they have undercut some professional logistics company to save a buck. And you know what Shame on you for hiring them and Shame on me for using them as well.

Ok I'm all vented out now LMAO

Torquewar · DORCHESTER, ONT

Good views in this thread and correct.
So lets take any job with a creditation attached to it or a license.What is the path and education involved. Any skilled trade that requires you to work in a apprenticeship role costs. First go to school for couple years then buy your tools etc. That cost depending on the trade your in can amount in the 10s of thousands. Lots of decent paying jobs require courses on many levels with associated costs.
Is this amount fair? , i dont know but it may eliminate the issuing of AZ license to the fly by night crowd.
I never drove the big rigs and have great amount of respect to the individuals that do and do it with skill and safety.
I work in emergency service, and go to many accidents on the 401 (London) area.
A high percentage of drivers are ....new Canadians. No bull its what i have seen time and time again...

TIME TRAVELLER · NIAGARA REGION, ONT

The problem I see with this is that the driving schools that MTO wants to force all class “A” applicants into are the same ones that are training, or not training, these drivers right now. And you can bet that if this becomes law, there’ll be new driving training schools popping up all over the place to jump on the gravy train. Also, if the government gets this passed, there’s nothing to stop them from extending this to the other classes of commercial licences and even to “G” licences. I worked for MTO for 36 years and I know how they think!

parklane · St THOMAS, ONT

Modfather wrote:

On the other hand there are some people driving these rigs that should never have goat a license we have had trucks

Ok I'm all vented out now LMAO

Read the above sentence carefully. Now, that is funny. Ya, these guys should get a licence to drive a goat. biggrin biggrin biggrin

-- Edited by parklane on Wednesday 24th of February 2016 11:05:41 PM

shag766 · FOXBORO, ONT

Redneck Rydes wrote:
Well there goes My chance to get My AR licence to drive My Dually with over 10000 lbs on My trailer.I was told that My CDL that I hold in S.C. is not valid in Ontario.

i would snoop more on whether or not it isn't transferable. were suppose to have reciprocity with a big bunch of motor vehicle stuff with all the states. some states more than others though. did you have to test down there to get your CDL?

just saying is all

Legacy 69 · PERTH, ONT

Modfather wrote:
I also agree that it should be mandated. As stated these folks are professionals and I bet that their daily job is more demanding than being an airline pilot these days. I have nothing but respect for the trucking industry and it is time that the standards are brought up. Could you imagine if the test included reading road signs in English. If the standards are raised and the costs for education are increased so should the wages to offset the cost of becoming a true respected licensed professional driver.

On the other hand there are some people driving these rigs that should never have goat a license we have had trucks in our yard where the drivers have had no concept of even how to back up. I blame this on the companies that hire these clowns, All because they have undercut some professional logistics company to save a buck. And you know what Shame on you for hiring them and Shame on me for using them as well.

Ok I'm all vented out now LMAO

Who ever told you that has mislead you. Do your homework

Legacy 69 · PERTH, ONT

In Ontario they tell us driving is a privilege, anyone that believes this is a fool. Travel the 401 corridor and you will soon discover drivers licenses are being handed out like candy to the immigration crowd, or to the privileged.

My questions to Wynn: How will the refugees the Feds are fast tracking and the Wynn government clearly indicated would be prime candidates for the trucking industry meet these standards? Who is going to train them? Where is the money coming from? Are we the tax payers willing to pay for this? Will the same standards be applied to the school bus industry? Is safety the target of this regulation or is it the federal money coming down the pipe? Lastly, who will police the fox training the hens?

Tax payers send in your comments:

87 William Hearst Avenue, Rm B-051
Downsview, ON
M3M 0B4
Fax: 416-235-4646

Susie.consiglio@ontario.ca or
kim.MacCarl@ontario.ca

slim · DUNDAS, ONT

Drunk guy runs into bridge needs an interpreter in court . Guy driving behind drunk guy with 40 ft box raising in the air at highway speed runs into him needs interpreter in court. Who would of thunk that this may be a problem

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/skyway-mar-2-1.3473282

DJD · SCARBOROUGH, ONT

I've said it before no one who comes from a place with a different driving environment than here or the U S should be able to get a licence before they've been here for something like 3-5 years

more than enough time to learn english or french and long enough to learn what walking or driving on snow and ice is like

I for one don't want to be sharing the road with someone this winter who just got here last summer and hasn't even tryed walking on the sidewalk when it's covered by snow or ice yet

and do they send interpruters to all the weigh stations -- seems this clown would need one

and , it would only make sence if other traffic had seen the box up on the truck .. why not get in front of it and force it to stop ??

dualquadpete · BLACKSTOCK, ONT

When I taught AZ& D lic. at school in Whitby, we weren't allowed to vary from the program, just enough to pass the TEST!! Show them how to do the log books,& this was an accredited school by the province!!! After the test [if they passed] I'd drive back & show them that you can shift with no clutch!!! & get the same thing, " why didn't you teach me that in coarse!!!!

Ragtop · BELLE RIVER, ONT

Be careful what you wish for.