BIG RIG DRIVERS NEED AN AZ LICENCE TO GET THE LONG-HAUL GIG

A big rig truck driver must earn an AZ licence to operate a commercial tractor-trailer with air brakes in Ontario. The class A licence is comprised of the written exam and practical road test, while Z is for the air brake certification. No training required: A 2014 Star investigation of Ontario’s truck driver training industry found no formal instruction is necessary for would-be drivers to obtain a class A licence. In response to the story, Ontario Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca called for mandatory entrylevel training for commercial truck drivers. Truck drivers ed: The ministry plans to release the entry-level program details, including the training stan- dards and competency based road test, by summer of 2016. The program will be based on ongoing consultations with industry stakeholders and the ministry. Group project: The Ministry of Transportation is also working closely with the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities (MTCU) to develop and finalize the model and program components, including the common core-training standards. Currently, the MTCU oversees truck training courses taught in registered private career colleges. School bell rings: Once fully implemented, all new applicants for a class A licence will be required to take mandatory training. Further consultations with the industry are required to finalize the timelines and program components. Student fees: The training organizations to deliver the new curriculum are responsible for establishing fees for the course. Head of the class: “I consider the safety of all users of Ontario’s roads and highways to be my top priority, and making sure the standards around the trucking industry are as high as they need to be to keep Ontario amongst the safest places to drive in North America is my commitment. Our government remains committed to introducing mandatory entry-level training for truck drivers by summer 2016 and continuing to work closely with the industry to make sure we get it right and produce a result that helps make Ontario’s roads safer,” says Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca. Source: Ministry of Transportation