Industry News News
Mandatory entry-level training for Ontario’s Class A drivers

Individuals seeking a Class A licence in Ontario on or after July 1, 2017, will need to complete mandatory entry-level training before attempting the Class A road test. Individuals who already have a Class A licence before this date will not be required to take training.

“The safety of all users of Ontario’s roads and highways is our top priority. The introduction of mandatory training in addition to knowledge and road tests is designed to ensure that commercial truck drivers are properly trained before they are tested,” said Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation.

The mandatory entry-level course will take approximately four to six weeks to complete and course fees will be set by individual training providers. Schools approved by the province have a year to develop a curriculum using a consistent provincial training standard. The new Commercial Truck Driver Training Standard (Class A) will be available in early July.

These changes will improve road safety and address the trucking industry’s need for qualified and well trained commercial Class A truck drivers while eliminating inadequate training through unregistered truck schools.

“By being the first jurisdiction in North America to introduce mandatory entry-level training for commercial truck drivers, Ontario is leading the way in terms of further improving highway safety and helping the industry to ensure it has an adequate supply of consistently trained, quality new drivers in the future. This is a game-changer,” said David Bradley, CEO of the Ontario Trucking Association.