One-eyed driver not a safety risk

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Dear Editor:

I have a situation I was hoping you could shed some light on for me. I have driven trucks all my adult life and own various sizes of equipment ranging from full-size vans to tractor-trailers.

I currently hold a Nova Scotia Class 3 licence. I have extensive wheel time in tractor-trailers in downtown and highway applications, however the Registry of Motor Vehicles will not issue me a Class 1 licence because I only have sight in one eye.

A great many years ago, this would not have been an issue, but at some point someone for some reason decided to change the requirements and grandfathered out all one-eyed truck drivers.

Now, before all you two-eyed drivers start closing one eye and saying ‘I don’t blame them,’ you need to realize I have been driving like this for over 25 years and have adapted nicely, thank you.

All I would ask is for an equal opportunity to prove myself, no matter what test they decided to throw at me. In a separate but similar situation, there was a one-eyed pilot who was banned from applying for his pilot’s licence. He fought it right through to the Supreme Court and won his right to be tested on an individual basis, because the overall ruling was discriminatory against him by implying that just because one person with sight in one eye could not fly, doesn’t mean we all can’t.

I would just like my chance to prove my abilities without the cost of bringing it to the Supreme Court for a ruling.

Wayne Webb

Lower Sackville, N.S.

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  • Hi I too had a problem with the mto. after 23 years of good driving class A , 30 class G, I went to the eye doctor, and they discovered, that i have an eye daesie,been there all my life, called R.P.prefect abstract, owned my own truck,well the doctor decided, she was gonna report me to the MTO, she did,and even thought i passed all there eye tests, took my licenes away, I was born with this problem, the doctor,said it has notchanged, in a long time, so what is the problem I asked,no matter what i said,to bad for me they say,now i’ve been operating heavy equipment in the GTA for yaers never had a problem, passed there eye exames, medicals,
    allways play by the rules, they ruined my livily hood,turned my family’s life up side down, with no regard! would’nt even let me prove i could drive class A safely, or g for that matter. suspened all my liceses!
    So the MTO say’s that a new driver who just passed his test could drive better than I,,now i’m not saying i’m prefect, but no new driver knows half what I do,it takes year’s of driving big trucks,and still anything could happen, right! but I was not even giving the chance to prove myself, no matter what, this in my eyes is unbelivable,
    the eye test given to me no driver has to take, I can pass the standard eye test they give every new class A driver for his license, I think this is discimanation,I went the the human right’s, they say I’ve got a good case.
    but there not allowed to go against the goverment, MTO,wow, so called 4 5 lawyer’s they too say i’ve got a good case, but its hard to beat the MTO, and it’ll cost me 30000 to 40000 to get it to court, for a fifty fifty chance. who has this money to waste, remember i was a broker, so my G license was also taken away, for a year, i had to get a doctor to sign a vision wavier, which she did! then i was givin the chance to prove i could drive. at a place called drive again, occupational therapist,and a MTO driver examiner, well I pass flying colours,ever singal test and there was a lot more eye tests there than the MTO,except the prehial test which i scored 16/20 15/20.then i was givin my G back which I am thankful to have. We as driver’s have not one singnal right. you can say nothing to the MTO, they are the almighty, all the good truck drivers are getting somehow cut out,of this career, The MTO think’s truck drivers should be athlets, but the pay is bad and the hour’s are terrible. but I loved my job.I don’t even want to comment on whats coming into the trucking field now! but the power this MTO has now is un real! so i say good luck to the fellow who want’s his class 1 out east. this all happened to me two years ago, I still run my truck’s bearly and the driver’s that have come and gone, wow all i can say is haha, this MTO is crazy, who they give a class A too now will make your head spin….thanks for your time D Doucette.

  • I fell your pain man am in the same situation I still have a valid dot card but wen it expires am worried am not going to be able to drive I love driving it is my passon.. the worst part about it all workmens comp wants to give me crap about paying for my eye lost..I have a neighboor that was a heiron addict and he messed up his hart because of his abuse and he getts workmans comp me know I lost my right eye vision and they want to play games with me on my job to see if am lieing …. u should get your owl othority and drive for your self that way if u get pulled over just pay for the fine..

  • Wayne
    I’m just wondering how you made out? I am a class 2 driver who lost his sight in one eye and have been given the chance by motor vehicles but am having problems with my employer!

  • I have held a class AZ for the past 35 years to which I also have a clean record .not bad for a driver running coast to coast!. As of April 2021 I have been fighting Ont.Mto. medical review board. As my licence was downgraded to a Gz due to vision . I have had many test have met acuity as well as peripheral test . They always fail it and try to give me application for a G waiver. Fail me on test performed on eyes separately all while rules that MTO writes states comercial vision requirements must pass acuity as well as a peripheral test . No where does it state anywhere you must past vision using only one eye . This is a killer to my livelihood! Any one know how to beat this unjust .