TORONTO, ON — Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) are proposing to play a key role in the training, testing and licensing of truck drivers, all in an effort to curb the rise of “licensing mills” that dole out sub-par training.
Training schools that charge less than $1,000 for commercial class driver programs are able to avoid provincial regulations, but the Ontario government is looking to close the loophole, having uploaded a new proposal to the Ontario Regulatory Registry on Monday that calls for pubic feedback.
A typical government sanctioned driver training program costs about $8,000. “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,” states Ontario’s new registry posting.
Ontario is proposing three types of mandatory entry-level training: An Ontario Career College registered under the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005; an Ontario College of Applied Arts and Technology; or a recognized authority under MTO's Driver Certification Program.
As part of its proposal, MTO says it is also updating the subject matter of written tests for all commercial class licences. 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 necessary approvals.
Ontario Looks to Toughen Commercial Licence Training
Ontario's Regulatory Registry
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: an Ontario Career College registered under the Ontario 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.
Further Information:
Proposal Number: 16-MTO014
Posting Date: February 22, 2016
Comments Due Date: April 7, 2016
Contact Address:
87 William Hearst Avenue, Rm B-051
Downsview, ON M3M 0B4
Fax: 416-235-4646
Susie.consiglio@ontario.ca or kim.MacCarl@ontario.ca
