Should a Driving Record Be Mandatory for Commercial Vehicle Drivers?

Steps are being taken in Canada to help improve road safety, particularly when it comes to highways, in Canada.

 

This is one of the reasons why entry-level training was made compulsory, in Ontario, in 2017.

 

Individuals applying for a Class A (commercial truck) driver’s licence, are required to complete at least 103.5 hours of education and skills training needed to operate large trucks. There is an additional 8.5 hours of training required for an air brake endorsement.

 

Recently, Canada’s transportation and highway safety ministers supported these measures and set up a national entry-level training standard for commercial vehicle drivers. This standard will be incorporated into the National Safety Code.

 

According to Today’s Trucking, while these required hours of training are in line with those set by the Ontario Government, they are still lesser than those required in other jurisdictions. For instance, Manitoba requires 121.5 hours of training and Alberta specifies 113 hours.

 

What Does This Mean for Commercial Vehicle Drivers?

 

This means that commercial vehicle drivers would need to complete 103.5 hours of Class 1 training from an approved training provider recognized by the province of residence.

 

The hours breakdown is as follows:

 

-5 hours in the classroom.

-17 hours in the yard.

-50 hours behind the wheel.

 

Can They Obtain a Licence Without Completing the Training?

 

Commercial Vehicle Drivers can obtain a Restricted Class A (AR) licence if they have not completed the training.

 

However, training and a road test are mandatory to receive a full Class A licence.

 

Should a Driving Record Be Mandatory?

 

Many organizations obtain driver’s abstracts to ensure that their potential hire does not have a history of impaired driving, speeding, reckless driving, active suspensions, or any other criminal offences.

 

Some even go a step further and conduct comprehensive screenings.

 

With new standards being put in place when it comes to training and education, the importance of these driving records increases multi-fold.

 

As an organization, you should obtain a driver’s abstract particularly if you’re in the trucking industry or your employee would need to operate commercial vehicles. A driver’s abstract can help you identify if the potential hire has the required experience and a clean driving record.

 

This doesn’t have to be a tedious and costly exercise. With Triton, you can receive driver’s abstracts securely and quickly. To find out more, contact us on 1-844-874-8667 or visit  https://triton.clientwebdev.com/business/drivers-abstracts.

 

Should drivers be required by law to provide their driving history record? Share your thoughts with us on social media. Triton Canada is on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.