Rules tweaked for truck drivers

Up to 6,800 new truck and bus drivers exempt from more stringent driver training standards will be placed on a two-year probation period, Transportation Minister Ric Mciver said Friday.

That decision came following pressure from political foes and critics, including family members of Humboldt Broncos bus crash victims. They expressed concern that stronger training and testing measures won’t apply to new drivers who’ve acquired operating licences since Oct. 11, 2018.

But for at least one of those families, this change isn’t nearly enough. In a series of tweets, Transportation Minister Ric Mciver acknowledged meetings Wednesday with some of those families and outlined the latest change to the system that was initially brought in by the previous NDP government.

“After meeting with some Humboldt families and hearing their concerns, we are exploring ways to hold these 6,800 drivers to a zero-tolerance standard with a probationary period,” he stated.

“We’ve decided that transition drivers will be placed on two years probation, in addition to (an) already required clean driving record.”

If those drivers incur an infraction during that time, they’ll be required to undertake the Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT) program, just as those initially exempted but with previous driving offences will, he added.

Those waived drivers’ records are being reviewed for any infractions over the past year, Alberta Transportation has said.

The addition of a probationary period won’t alter the fact none of those drivers should avoid the more stringent requirements, said Michelle Straschnitzki, mother of Humboldt Broncos player Ryan, who was among 13 injured in the truck-bus collision in April 2018. Sixteen others died in the crash on a Saskatchewan highway.

“I’m glad they’re re-examining that and discussing it, but there can’t be any exemptions, sorry,” said Straschnitzki. “If it was one of their family members or friends, they’d look at it differently.”

She noted thousands of drivers not qualified under MELT will still be on the road, posing a danger during their probation.

“This can’t happen again,” she said of the Broncos tragedy.

The father of Logan Boulet, who was killed in the collision, said he couldn’t comment on the change until it’s discussed further among the families.

“We’re trying to sort out if this is what we’ve agreed on or not,” said Toby Boulet.

The tougher training and testing requirements were enacted following the collision involving a semi-trailer driven by inexperienced operator Jaskirat Singh Sidhu of Calgary and the bus carrying the Broncos hockey team.