Truck driver training early issue as Parliament returns
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Ontario’s House of Parliament resumed activities on October 21st, and among the first issues raised by the Opposition NDP has been fraud and failure in the province’s Truck driver training industry.
Lise Vaugeois, MPP for Thunder Bay—Superior North asked Premier Doug Ford about the blatant fraud and bribery illustrated in a recent CBC Marketplace segment on Trucking schools. “The solution is staring us in the face,” Vaugeois said. “What on earth is stopping us from ending the carnage?”
Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria took the question. “The Ministry of Colleges has a robust inspection program,” he noted, apparently referring to the eight inspectors Ontario has to inspect 555 private career colleges, including Trucking schools.
In advance of Parliament’s return, Travis MacDougall of Truckers for Safer Highways wrote Premier Doug Ford, also with regard to the CBC Marketplace expose:
“Dear Premier Ford,
I am writing to express significant concerns following the recent investigative report by CBC Marketplace, which has brought to light serious, systemic issues within Ontario’s trucking industry—particularly in the training and licensing processes for new drivers.
It is evident that the Ministry of Transportation has failed to adequately ensure that all new drivers are properly trained and licensed. As a result, there are drivers on our highways who should not be behind the wheel of heavy trucks. This presents a serious safety risk to all road users. Moreover, the lack of consistent enforcement at the province’s inspection stations further compromises the safety of our highways, contrary to the Minister of Transportation’s claims that Ontario has “some of the safest highways in North America.”
Truckers for Safer Highways has, on several occasions over the past three years, reached out to both your office and the office of the Minister of Transportation regarding these concerns. Unfortunately, the responses we have received have not adequately addressed the serious issues within the Mandatory Entry-Level Training (MELT) program or the concerning conditions at DriveTest centres across the province.
We are calling on your government to take immediate and decisive action to demonstrate that safety on Ontario’s highways is a top priority, not merely a talking point. With the winter season upon us, the dangers posed by the current situation are even more pressing, and we fear that without urgent action, we may witness further tragedies on our roads.
Can we expect an announcement in the coming weeks outlining tangible steps toward meaningful change? We stand ready to assist your government in any way possible to ensure that Ontario’s highways are made safer for all.
Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. We look forward to your prompt response.
Sincerely,
Travis McDougall
Co-Founder, Truckers for Safer Highways”
