Ontario updates Truck training

Commercial drivers to verify eligibility to work in Canada

Responding to the findings of an Auditor General’s report, the Ontario government is updating training and eligibility requirements for commercial vehicle drivers across the province. As part of these changes, the province is developing a new standardized entry-level truck driver training curriculum to ensure commercial drivers receive consistent training.

“Quality training saves lives. Standardized curriculum is an important step toward ensuring every new commercial driver receives the knowledge, skills, and professionalism necessary to operate safely on Ontario’s roads,” says Ken Adams, Chairman of the Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario (TTSAO). “TTSAO is proud to support measures that strengthen training standards and enhance public safety.”

Drivers from jurisdictions that do not have a reciprocal licensing agreement with Ontario must now complete a G2 road test followed by a G road test at least 12 months later to become fully licensed.

“The audit found weaknesses in the inspection and oversight of training providers. The Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security had never inspected 25 per cent  of the registered private career colleges that were actively offering Entry Level Training (ELT). We found that some students at registered private career colleges obtained ELT certificates without completing all mandatory training hours and elements.”

The report details inconsistencies in road testing practices across Drive Test Centres, as well as the Ministry of Transportation not restricting drivers with past infractions from receiving a licence or requiring a waiting period after obtaining a Class G license.

“Our government is focused on keeping Ontario’s roads safe, and a new standardized curriculum will ensure truck drivers have the rigorous training they need before getting behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “By strengthening training standards and ensuring commercial drivers have the skills and experience they need, we’re making our roads safer for truck drivers, commuters and families.”

As part of these enhanced safety measures, organizations across Ontario that offer truck driver training will be required to follow the new standardized entry-level curriculum. The curriculum will include more than 103 hours of clear and consistent training designed to ensure anyone applying for a Class A commercial driver’s licence has the skills and knowledge needed to operate safely and responsibly on Ontario’s roads.

Additional training subjects being considered for the new curriculum include fatigue management, northern, rural and remote driving, human trafficking awareness and new mandatory air brake training. This builds on previous action taken by the province to strengthen commercial vehicle safety across Ontario, including:

• Requiring commercial vehicle drivers to provide documentation verifying their eligibility to work in Canada.
• A dedicated integrity manager for truck driver testing across the province, as well as supervisor spot checks and weekly reviews of commercial driver training schools.
• Tabling legislation to introduce tougher penalties for distracted driving in commercial vehicles and for operating a commercial vehicle without a functioning speed limiter.
• Introducing a mandatory six-month waiting period, effective January 1, 2027, before Class G or higher licence holders can attempt a Class A road test.
• As a next step, the province will work with industry leaders, training providers and other subject matter experts in the coming months to develop the curriculum, with implementation expected to begin early next year.

The province has  also committed toimproving trucking safety in the north along Highway 11/17 by increasing the number of Transportation Enforcement Officers in northern Ontario, expanding enforcement blitzes along the Highway 11/17 corridor, deploying two mobile inspection support units to increase truck enforcement along the corridor and upgrading the provincial rest area network in northern Ontario to provide more year-round truck parking.