Truckers to undergo mandatory training
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/03/2019 (2566 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Manitoba truck drivers will soon need more experience before heading out on the road.
Mandatory entry-level training for commercial truck drivers will be implemented in the province beginning in September, with requirements that include 121.5 hours of training.
That change is well overdue, said Ken Rae, president of local trucking company Odanah Truck Line Inc.
“Due to what went on in Saskatchewan awhile ago, it actually should have been implemented many years ago,” he said, referencing the Humboldt Broncos bus collision with a semi-trailer truck on April 6 of last year, which resulted in 16 deaths.
“You can’t let people out in a big semi with no experience or training,” Rae added. “It’s suicidal almost.”
Under the current system, people can obtain a Class 1 truck driving licence by completing a knowledge-based written test and a practical road test, with no mandatory training required before testing takes place, a press release from the provincial government said.
The change was in the works for a few years, infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler said, and isn’t related to the Humboldt Broncos bus crash.
“The issue of mandatory entry-level training for truck drivers is something that has been on the agenda of governments across Canada since 2012,” Schuler said.
“In Western Canada, we’ve been working together with Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. It was something that has been coming for a long time.”
Saskatchewan and Alberta have already announced new rules, making Manitoba the third province in the west to do so.
The training will include an in the classroom component, out in the yard and driving practice on the road.
“They will learn in a real way the rules and safety and how to best drive,” he said. “This is just often it’s what you know, you just need (to have it) reaffirmed for yourself.”
They contacted more than 100 stakeholders as part of the process, he said, who were onboard with the idea, including Indigenous organizations, established sector councils, educational providers, municipal stakeholders and small-scale commercial carriers.
“We want to make sure that we provide a good product for the industry and safety for Manitobans who travel on our highways.”
Earlier this year, Manitoba Public Insurance began work on an implementation plan, the press release said, including licence policy issues and Class 1 driver testing considerations. More details will be announced in the coming weeks.
There’s people in the industry who aren’t abiding by the rules, Rae said, and this new system will help make it more controlled.
“It definitely is a good thing for the trucking industry and makes it more regulated,” Rae said. “You’ve got to have restrictions and restraints on stuff, you can’t just have a free for all.”
» mverge@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @Melverge5