MELT program for new commercial drivers in Alta. is mandatory
A recent announcement by the provincial government means specialized training for new commercial drivers in Alberta will become mandatory on March 1, 2019.
“The curriculum is still under development, but it will be a standardized curriculum consisting of a mandated number of in-classroom, in-vehicle and on-road training hours,” says John Archer, Press Secretary for the Office of the Minister of Transportation.
Archer adds the provincial government has been working on this initiative to enhance safety within the commercial driving industry and federal and provincial colleagues.
“There’s no question that high profile incidents like the Humboldt collision in Saskatchewan sharpened our focus and prompted jurisdictions across Canada to take a closer look at their safety policies,” Archer explains. “Mandatory entry level training is an emerging new standard in the commercial transport industry, across Canada and the U.S., and we have done the work to move forward quickly with these changes.”
As of March 1, 2019, any person who wants to obtain a Class 1 or Class 2 driver’s licence must take the Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT) Program, followed by the enhanced knowledge and road tests.
Class 1 and Class 2 driver’s licence holders, including farmers, who already hold the proper licences or received them before October 9, 2018 will not be required to take the MELT Program.
Those who obtain their licences between now (October 10) and March 1, 2019 must retake the Mandatory Entry Level Training Program when it becomes available.
Those drivers must successfully pass the knowledge test and the road test before March 1, 2020 with two attempts to do so, with the first attempt being government funded.
“The AMTA and industry have developed and delivered training over the years that was optional,” says Chris Nash, president of the Alberta Motor Transport Association. “The announcement of mandatory entry-level training will ensure the industry has the fundamental tools to operate on public roadways by establishing a benchmark of required education for commercial drivers and carriers.”
New requirements for commercial transport companies will begin January 1, 2019 and will include having documentation to show full compliance with the new regulations; completion of a mandatory safety and compliance course and knowledge test when applying for a Safety Fitness Certificate; and a formal, third-party review of compliance with federal and provincial safety regulations within one year of beginning operations.
“The majority of professional truck and bus drivers already take and pay for formalized training before obtaining their licence,” Archer says. “This isn’t changing; the training is simply being standardized by the government and being made mandatory. Government will be capping the maximum cost driver training schools can charge for the mandatory entry level training. The cost to take the training is dependent on the curriculum, which is still under development. More information about the cost of the training will be available soon.”
In certain circumstances, Archer says, some individuals may be eligible for funding for the training through existing government grant programs.
Archer says the Government of Alberta is pleased to move forward with these changes to the commercial transport industry, to improve everyone’s safety.
“We are advancing safety standards in our commercial driving industries to enhance road safety, not just in Alberta, but across the continent, as commercial drivers travel across Canada and North America,” says Brian Mason, Minister of Transportation. “We’ve worked with our industry stakeholders to make these changes with their support...”