MPI offers condensed Driver Z courses in summer

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/05/2025 (191 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba Public Insurance is offering Driver Z condensed courses in Brandon and other communities in the province this summer to increase access to the high school education program.

The program is an education initiative that combines online and in-car learning to equip students aged 15 and a half or older with essential skills for safe driving, allowing them to register and begin their driver-training experience.

Last October, scores of parents and their children braved cool morning weather to line up outside Guild Insurance on Victoria Avenue, striving for a coveted spot in the program. While some of the parents arrived at the location a night earlier, others joined the queue as early as 2 a.m.

The corporation is offering the regular 12-week course for five weeks in July and August. This means more students will be able to complete the training in less than half the time of the regular program.

Driver Z uses a mix of eLessons, virtual and in-person classes and in-car learning to give students the tools, knowledge and confidence to reduce risk and prevent collisions when they get behind the wheel. The condensed course will consist of two weeks of virtual classes and three weeks of in-car lessons.

The courses will be offered in July across Brandon, Arborg, Beausejour, Portage la Prairie, Steinbach, Winkler and Winnipeg. In August, it will be offered in Brandon, Steinbach, The Pas, Winkler and Winnipeg.

Registration for summer courses will begin on May 28 at 8 a.m. A listing of all available summer courses will be published on May 23 on MPI’s website.

Students must attend all classes with no exceptions, MPI vice-president Maria Campos said.

“Students will need to diligently complete the lessons, study for the Knowledge Test and practise driving with their co-pilots to be successful in this condensed course,” Campos said.

“We can offer this alternative in the summer months as students are out of school and able to participate during the day, making it possible to cover all the course content and ensure they have the necessary training to be safe drivers on our roadways.”

To register, students should visit an Autopac agent or MPI Service Centre in advance to get set up as a customer and purchase the Driver Z service, the Crown corporation said in a press release on Monday.

Completing these steps ahead of time will allow students to easily and quickly register by phone, at an Autopac agent or MPI Service Centre when courses become available.

“We want to increase access to Driver Z for students, as we firmly believe that training young drivers from the start of their driving careers leads to safer roadways,” Campos added.

“We have doubled our student capacity from last year and look forward to continuing to expand how many students we can accommodate. We are hiring new driving instructors and introducing innovative ways to offer Driver Z to Manitobans, like this condensed summer program.”

» aodutola@brandonsun.com

» X: @AbiolaOdutola